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RE: systems and networks
John Hopkins
Sep 28, 2003 10:52 PDT
I generally present networks as a social/technical concept versus heirarchies each at the ends of a sliding scale. The axis of this scale is a qualitative measure of the 'quality' and especially 'balance' of bi-directional exchanges of human energies (which are specifically NOT limited to linguistic-based exchange), but refers to the TOTAL 'spectrum' of 'real' energy exchange occuring. It is possible to position a variety of different types of social organization on this scale using this criteria. The scale may also incorporate general values like static/dynamic, death/life, closed/open, filtered/unfiltered and other fuzzy concepts... Neither ends of the scale exist as absolutes in the actual social sphere; and the social matrix that we are embedded in dynamically oscillates along the scale. Positions on the scale are also determined by the macro/micro social situation (personal, locative/local community, nation-state, corporation, global society, etc) that one is attempting to model. So, unless we get into utopian model construction where we limit too many variables, we are generally always in a hybrid and very dynamic situation... For example -- a situation where there is a rigidly defined set of exchanges between nodes from top-down and bottom-up, where lateral exchange is discouraged except in certain forms, as one has in the military, this would locate that organization towards the heirarchic end of the scale. On the contrary, in the situation where there is open and shared/ 'balanced' bi-lateral energy exchange between all nodes (individuals), this is located closer to the network end of the scale. refer to http://neoscenes.net/hyper/silke/silke01.html for a few more maxims on networks and energy... (these notes are extracted from a larger framework that identifies the dialogue (again, NOT a linguistic concept, but that total spectrum of human exchange) at the center of creative action), and that human dialogue is a constituent element of any larger social structure -- hierarchy or network. It also reflects on the phenomenon where there is a condition of dynamic open bi-directional flow between two people, that each may be literally inspired and walk away from the encounter with an excess of energy! If that is the core dynamic of a network -- a con-sequent conglomeration of energy-surplus-producing 'dialogues' -- then the network becomes the site for enormous potential energy reserves! jh |
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