Wystem 5: On Infrastructure
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Infrastructure, when it works, is like magic. Have you wondered that you can go to any ATM, it doesn't have to be your bank's ATM, and you can just withdraw money from it. Somehow, your bank is able to synchronize its accounts with the ATM owning bank in real time and deduct money from your account and give you the cash in your hand. This is possible because of the complex network of systems that work together seamlessly in the background. These systems are designed to be highly reliable, secure, and scalable, ensuring that transactions are processed quickly and accurately. The infrastructure that powers these systems is constantly evolving, with new technologies being developed to improve performance and security. As we continue to rely more heavily on digital systems, the importance of robust infrastructure will only continue to grow.
Same thing with phone calls, right? You can receive phone calls from any number anywhere in the world. You probably don't want that, but it doesn't matter whether you have Airtel or Jio or any other phone service. The number is all you need. How are calls and messages routed from one mobile company's infrastructure to another mobile company's infrastructure. What's the background service against which all of this runs? The answer lies in the complex network of interconnected systems that enable seamless communication across different service providers. These systems are built on a foundation of standardized protocols and interfaces that allow different networks to communicate with each other. Behind the scenes, there are centralized databases that store information about phone numbers and their associated service providers, enabling calls and messages to be routed efficiently between networks, regardless of the specific infrastructure used by each provider.
You could argue that both cash and mobile phones are really instruments and technologies of the virtual. The same thing happens in the real world too. If you have a passport and a visa, you can fly from anywhere to anywhere else. How is that possible? How is it that we can seamlessly cross boundaries? The answer lies in the standardization of travel documents and the cooperation between countries. Passports and visas serve as universally recognized forms of identification, allowing individuals to move across borders with relative ease. This is made possible by international agreements and treaties that establish common standards for these documents. Additionally, countries have developed systems for sharing information and coordinating border control efforts, enabling them to track the movement of people and maintain security. You might say that there shouldn't be those boundaries in the first place. There's after all only one planet. Carbon doesn't know where to stop, so why should we? But we won't consider that question.
And then finally, again in the physical world, you can order sweets or flowers or anything else and have it be delivered to your doorstep. Some of them in 10 minutes. It's kind of amazing when you think about it. How is that possible?
Not all of this is rosy.
We have already talked about the problems with boundaries in the first place. Why should there be national boundaries? That's a big problem. Let's say national boundaries are a good thing. There's still the problem of money. Whether you want to fly, whether you want to order from Amazon, whether you want to call somebody on the phone, or just take cash out of the ATM, you need money. And having this seamless interconnected infrastructure greatly, greatly increases the importance of money.
You may be living in a village with green fields, trees, and no pollution. And if you cannot order gifts on Amazon, you may feel like your life is incomplete and you would rather cut down those trees so that you can pay for your Amazon gifts. unfortunately is the world that we live in. The interconnectedness of our world has undoubtedly brought convenience and efficiency, but it has also highlighted the stark inequalities that exist. Access to these seamless systems is often determined by one's financial status, creating a digital divide between those who can afford to participate and those who cannot. As we continue to build and rely on these infrastructures, it is crucial that we also address the underlying social, economic and ecological disparities that prevent equal access for all.
Our ecosystem API or EPI is a way to bring the good things about the infrastructure that the commercial world has created to the ecological world of the future. We don't know if that's going to happen. Mother's Day is coming and Mother Earth is the biggest mother of all and hopefully We can give the ecosystem programming interface to our collective mother as a gift.