"The apparent democracy of today's digital networks is an artifact of their infancy. Sooner or later, all social organisms move from anarchy to hierarchy..."
-- Jonathan Franzen, Imperial Bedroom, an essay in How to be Alone
the book room: novelist, John Degen interviews other writers, and talks about copyright way too much
1 comment:
Sadly I think there is a lot of truth to the sentiment of that statement John. Though I disagree with the notion that democracy and anarchy are comparable, I agree that social organisms tend to become more hierarchial and less democratic over time.
Look at our western state democracies too. They appear to be in a state of adolescence, and about to experience the harsh realities of adulthood.
Ah, if only we could be a little more like Peter Pan and embrace our societal childhood for just a bit longer. Alas he's under perpetual copyright isn't he? So Peter Pan we can't be. :-)
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