RevG –

I responded at another post as well [1], but here's a new comment:

“Human society is rapidly approaching the condition where the authority to act must be located in the specific environment being analyzed. This is the result of a trend in human development that once required a vision spanning generations to fully appreciate. Current conditions no longer need rely upon multigenerational knowledge to support this conclusion. Current events outstrip the conclusions of historical precedent. History only serves to show us that which is no longer relevant. The need for speed to action, the need to analyze current constantly changing conditions, has been created by novelty.”

I disagree completely. This reminds me of Authoritarian High Modernism and all of its failed variants — Communism, Fascism, Socialism, and all the rest of the “planning” theories — because it attempts to reduce the complex adaptive system of our world to something amenable to centralized command-and-control.

“Protected hierarchies have guided and supported human development producing all the benefits of civilization and in this way have justified their position in human society.”

Not sure what you mean by this.

[1] http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2006/10/19/wary-motivation-implicit-knowledge.html#c1208880

Thank you for your insights. Regarding your comment:

“This reminds me of Authoritarian High Modernism and all of its failed variants — Communism, Fascism, Socialism, and all the rest of the “planning” theories — because it attempts to reduce the complex adaptive system of our world to something amenable to centralized command-and-control.”

I was actually going for a variant of post-modernity where authority is exercised locally by a peer group of specialists, hence my use of the term 'ensemble', in my mind the paragraph you quote is a critique of failed AHM. In the contest of the entire post I was hoping to be clear that centralized command-and-control is as doomed as AHM. Obviously I need to work on my writing.

As to what I meant by that: My point was only to say that generations of leaders have used the benefits that appear during their term in power to justify their power. Perhaps my reach for a general term applicable to a broad range obfuscurated rather than illuminated. I have been rightfully accused of writing too densely, perhaps I need to unpack some of these thoughts and just write more.

Thank you again very much, I do appreciate your thoughts.