Altered Carbon and the Problem With Complete Centralization

If you haven't yet seen the newest Netflix show, Altered Carbon, then it is one to put next on your list.

Although, in this little breakdown of an evident problem in that society, I may spoil some of the plots.

So, maybe you'll want to skip this, or maybe you just want to expand your mind.

That's up to you.

Let's dive in.

The Main Problem In The Society of Altered Carbon

Altered Carbon explores many different concepts.

Namely, consciousness and the differences between it and the science of who we are.

Although, at the core of the show there is a problem.

One that they were trying to make evident as the main problem that could come from living forever, or at least creating the ability to live forever.

The Centralization of Everything

At the core roots of the cryptocurrency and cypherpunk movement is this problem.

Centralization vs. Decentralization

Many will declare that both have their benefits, and before the internet and the ability to create virtual machines I would agree.

The more our society wavers in a centralized fashion, the more eyeballs are moving to the consensus of decentralization.

And that is the root of the struggle in Altered Carbon's society.

Centralization of Wealth Creates A Disbalanced Society

Let's start with a basic walk-through of life.

We are born.

We learn and grow and develop to the point in which we do something productive.

Some people continue to learn and grow while others don't. A select group of people is born with something special like a higher IQ, photographic memory, etc that sets them apart.

And an even more exclusive group is born into incredulous wealth.

None of this is inherently bad.

It's just the starting points of life.

Then we have modern day billionaires, the ones who we assume "figured out" something about this life.

Maybe they did, perhaps they continued to get lucky after being born and set-up that route.

Granted, the problem lies in the fact that this is where centralization starts.

People know people, they allow these people to do things other people can't do, then they get introduced to more people who know people, etc...

Most of the centralization of wealth comes from the fact that networking lies at the core tenant of wealth.

Do you think any president pays for their meals anywhere?

No, because people know who they are and that value ends up getting rubbed off on to those around them when the restaurant can say "the president just dined here" and then the crowd's flock.

It's an ode to the value of that our society aims to get, or a form of it.

That's why people idolize famous people assuming that they have a secret, incredible amounts of money, and can do anything.

When in reality, they are just people still trying to figure it out. 

Now let's return to centralization.

In this case, the case of altered carbon, it comes down to the centralization of money and power in the hands of the Meths.

Why The Meths are Evil

Now here is where there is a blurred line.

To be wealthy isn't a bad thing.

Mainly if you use the wealth according to a worthy and try to make that value better for your community (or the world.)

Now, on the other hand, safeguarding it to a tee, utilizing it for extortion and putting down the masses is something that is illogical.

Especially if the value is the main reason for money.

Why should someone get to hoard value and not disperse it to help others create and inspire value?

It doesn't make much sense.

But, these Meths were able to create value, die and relive and continue until the nth point in time, with just about no one looking at them to see if it was valid.

The A.I. in the show weren't as helpful they could have been.

And everything was centralized.

Its an issue that we will face time and time again as the greatest transfer of wealth occurs via cryptocurrency and the decentralization of the world.

Wealth will become more dispersed going to those who provide value, including machines. 

Yes, it is strange to think about.

But it is coming.

Aiming to grow a company is great, but so often the company ends up seeking only more and more money, getting away from the core tenant of providing value and helping within the company (previously called a community.)

When we can decentralize the world, we create a world with a safeguard.

The wealthiest people will likely remain wealthy, but they won't be able to control the areas of life that can allow people to rise in the rankings or be shunned to the slums.

And that's the problem with the society in altered carbon.

Centralization of power, wealth, relationships and community.

Be kind to others, and they will be kind to you.

Don't fear money.

Thanks for reading another thought from my mind,

Austin