Blogspace as a Dissipative System Just came across A Systems Explanation for the Blogosphere, by Nick from Blogosphere.us that describes blogspace as a self-organizing dissipative system:
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Much in the way a temperature gradient existed between the two metal plates in the Bénard Cell example, an information gradient can be said to exist between those individuals who have information and those who want it. Traditionally, the transfer of information between these "people" would have to flow through an information gatekeeper before it could reach the person who wanted it - an analogous process to "conducting" the information from source to receiver. However, as the information gradient between individuals strengthens, that "base" system for transferring information reaches its full potential. If the information gradient continues to strengthen, some sort of dissipative structure has to emerge from the surrounding information environment to more efficiently deal with the differences. The Blogosphere can be thought of as a dissipative system for dealing with a strong information gradient. Instead of being conducted from first hand source to gatekeeper to audience, information in the Blogosphere is capable of traveling directly from the source to the audience - eliminating the limiting factor in the information transfer. |
A friend of mine used to say that all of media and politics follows the laws of thermodynamics. This systemic approach is highly complementary to the Ecosystem of Networks model at the Political Network layer and Joi's Emergent Democracy paper. Written clearly, worth a read.
1:27:30 PM 
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