While this is a start, we need a more rational debate about technological trends and their impact.
We (technologists) all get very excited about the possible future (Internet, Social Media, cryptocurrencies) without being honest with the problems with these new worlds at scale.
The way it works right now:
1. Get angry about state of current world (at different times: IBM, Microsoft, Facebook - or current trends like social media)
2. Evangelize how new trend will make everything better (today, decentralization and cryptocurrencies)
3. Realize that new world has its own set of issues as it grows larger, and external elements co-opt it for their own needs
I wish that we had more thoughtful debates about the tradeoffs, rather than seeing new technologies as a panacea.
Entrepreneurs who help grow new industries need the self awareness to realize the potential problems with the world they help create. As engineers, we're very attuned to potential ways our system can be technically hacked, but for some reason forget to think about the other ways these systems can be "hacked".
For anyone interested, you should read Tim Wu's The Master Switch. It's a unique window into the idealism of past eras (radio vs telephone, telephone vs telegraph) - and often disappointment that the early evangelists eventually feel.
If I understand correctly, OP is suggesting that these are not problems of scale but rather that scale itself is the problem in the sense that it's untenable for humans.
Comments
While this is a start, we need a more rational debate about technological trends and their impact.
We (technologists) all get very excited about the possible future (Internet, Social Media, cryptocurrencies) without being honest with the problems with these new worlds at scale.
The way it works right now:
1. Get angry about state of current world (at different times: IBM, Microsoft, Facebook - or current trends like social media)
2. Evangelize how new trend will make everything better (today, decentralization and cryptocurrencies)
3. Realize that new world has its own set of issues as it grows larger, and external elements co-opt it for their own needs
I wish that we had more thoughtful debates about the tradeoffs, rather than seeing new technologies as a panacea.
Entrepreneurs who help grow new industries need the self awareness to realize the potential problems with the world they help create. As engineers, we're very attuned to potential ways our system can be technically hacked, but for some reason forget to think about the other ways these systems can be "hacked".
For anyone interested, you should read Tim Wu's The Master Switch. It's a unique window into the idealism of past eras (radio vs telephone, telephone vs telegraph) - and often disappointment that the early evangelists eventually feel.
If I understand correctly, OP is suggesting that these are not problems of scale but rather that scale itself is the problem in the sense that it's untenable for humans.