It is probably nostalgia for the "good old days" (or simply the thought
patterns of previous training/education or experience) that induces some
listers to seek simple linear solutions to what are perceived as
"problems".
The problems may well be opportunities in disguise which some
entrepreneur may see through and exploit.
The metaphor which seems to fit is that of the boxer, darting in and
out, quickly perceiving and exploiting evanescent patterns, before the
patterns change to favour his opponent. There is an order, just as there
is order in the patterns in a kaleidoscope, but it is gone and replaced
by another in an instant.
A couple of current clich�s:
We are experiencing not breakdown, but breakthrough!
If it ain't broke, break it!
Aside: It's interesting how often these days politicians and
businessmen/women are lauded for their vision, or denigrated for their
lack thereof. It's not that long ago that visionaries were dismissed as
idle dreamers; now they are appreciated for their ability to perceive
and articulate patterns which can inspire and motivate their followers.
Footnote:
PART VI: FEEDBACK LOOPS AND FREE MARKETS
Chapter 23: Spontaneous Order
1.A slime mold is just one phase in the lifecycle of an amoeba
species. Since an amoeba moves so slowly, as soon as it has engulfed all
the bacteria within immediate reach, it begins to starve. But instead of
curling up to die, it pumps out pulses of a chemical distress call,
cyclical AMP.
2.Nearby amoebas sense the AMP molecules. They respond by moving
toward the source of the chemical wave and emit their own pulses of
cyclical AMP. As many as 100,000 amoebas stream toward each other until
their bodies merge together into a slime mold.
3.The slime mold fascinates us because it challenges our deepest
intuitions about consciousness and control. The slime mold's self
organization makes us face the ultimate question: is it really possible
that an unconscious, spontaneous phenomenon brought forth a natural
world of such awesome diversity, beauty and balance?
4.The notion that no one is in control - that economic order
spontaneously emerges from the chaotic interactions of millions of
individuals and firms -is quite hard to swallow.
5.Feedback-loop equations are "nonlinear." Instead of steady
curves, nonlinear formulas generate wildly erratic, zigzagging lines.
Few bothered to crunch these numbers because of the unpredictability of
nonlinear equations makes the effort pointless. The great tragedy in
this is the most natural phenomena are nonlinear. Much of physics, most
of chemistry, and all of biology falls outside linear science.
6.Chaos is not disorder, it is a higher form of order. Chaos covers
everything that seems to be disorderly but in fact adheres to underlying
patterns. The weather is a perfect example.
7.A diseased heart beats with extreme regularity. It is the healthy
heart that beats chaotically. Brain waves of the mentally healthy are
chaotic, while those of an epileptic during a seizure are regular.
8.Instead of viewing the body as a remarkably complex machine
controlled by the brain, new scientists see a collection of 10,000
billion cells incessantly conversing via chemical messages.
9.A market is something more than a sequence of independent trades.
A market represents the collective behavior of its traders.
10.Without a central controller, a flexible and efficient use of
resources spontaneously emerges from buying and selling among
independent agents.
Source: <http://www.sat.net/~hermital/index.htm>
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http://publish.uwo.ca/~mcdaniel/
