3DN The First Base Pairs
The First Base Pairs
- Genetic Metaphor
- In genetics, the building blocks of DNA are known as “base pairs”. Each side of a pair has a specific structure that permits bonding with the other side of the pair and prevents bonding with other molecules. The sequence of these pairings is the code that determines how a fertilized egg will develop. DNA determines the interactions at the level of the “organism” - individual plants and animals of all the various species.
- Similar control mechanisms work at lower and higher levels. At lower levels, certain atoms bond with other atoms to form molecules. At higher levels, the mix of predator and prey species determines the characteristics of an ecosystem and the interaction of groups determines the characteristics of a socio-economic system. All of that interacts to determine the characteristics of this one living-conscious system that we experience.
- The one whole system is composed of included subsystems (holons) – semi-self contained sets of interactions where, when viewed at any given level below the whole, some of the interactions are internal and some of the interactions are external. Take the lion eating the gazelle. From the point of view of the lion, the gazelle is an external subsystem. From the point of view of the ecosystem, the conversion of gazelle into lion is an internal interaction. Nature designs living systems through evolutionary processes – including the conscious systems of which we humans are so proud. But, now that we are conscious of our power in this regard, we should begin to realize that we can do a much better job than we have to date.
- Internal exchanges of value
- We are used to thinking about what transactions should be internal from the level of the nation-state. That made sense when there was something to be gained through victory in war. At this point in the development of the one whole living-conscious system, the nation-state may be impeding evolution. It is difficult to implement changes at that level because of the complexity of the constituent holons (the vested interests). At the level closest to each of us, our neighborhood (locality), we each have direct impact on the groups to which we belong.
- The next step in evolution is when WE humans learn to design sets of interactions to serve, not only the holons in which we individually participate, but the whole system itself. The parts that we control are (1) the interface between our group and other groups and (2) the interface between our group and the local ecosystem. We affect the interface by deciding which transactions are internal to our group and which transaction are external to our group. The Community Investment Enterprise is an experiment in internalizing certain desirable interactions.
- A mutant business structure
- I have proposed the use of a mutant business structure as the vehicle for this experiment. If someone wants to try it with a different vehicle – a non-profit is the usual choice – please include me in your efforts and I will include you in mine. What we are doing in either case is identifying specific transactions to internalize to achieve a specific purpose. We are trying to find base pairs of producers and consumers that, when internalized, result in desirable characteristics of the group.
See: Certificates of Participation
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Comments
- In the Global Brain Application discussion Roan said:
- . . . the decisions have to come from the mass of participating individuals all sharing knowledge and making decisions together.
- And I responded:
- This is a very interesting issue where we both agree and disagree. The Community Investment Enterprise I am talking about . . . will not be designed or run by committee. It will be designed and run by people at the highest level on the “continuum of human knowledge” that we can find.
- Where we agree is that every individual needs better choices - so, what we design at high levels on the continuum will only survive and multiply in the socio-economic system if individuals find that this new choice works better for them than the old choice. That is what I mean by the ultimate democracy - and - it avoids the lowest common denominator problem of requiring consensus problem solving.
