Social complexity can expand without limit: an insatiable social vortex.
- Social complexity can expand without limit: an insatiable social vortex.
- Social complexity will grow to fill the entire volume it's given.
- The constraints of the volume are often set based on the surrounding context: how much energy needs to go into the organization surviving and not getting knocked out of the game?
- Whatever's left will, in the fullness of time, go to social complexity.
- Why does social complexity fill all space?
- Because a given actor in that organization will get a consistent edge over their peers if they think one additional ply more than their peers.
- "I know that Sarah knows that I know that Sarah knows…"
- The one who thinks one step ahead of peers is more likely to get the spoils or to survive.
- This logic is true for everyone at all times, which means that if there's any additional capacity each agent will take it.
- A few contexts where this insatiable social vortex shows up:
- Social media engagement fights
- Culture wars
- Hyper-finacialized contexts like crypto
- Kayfabe in organizations