Decentralized, Autonomous Systems
More and more, we are finding ways to be self-sufficient and get things done that once required an institution. It looks like there is a massive movement of individuals all around the world who want to have control in their own hands. Steem, Bitcoin, and cryptocurrencies are just one example from finance where this is evident. Yet there are many more decentralized systems that could exist.
(Source: http://www.carlsterner.com/research/2009_resilience_and_decentralization.shtml)
This paper by Sterner argues that sustainability is not just a matter of efficiency but also how the system is structured. I am sitting here at my desk thinking of all the ways we can create autonomy. One area I find fascinating is IPFS.
IPFS is similar to how a BitTorrent swarms exchanging objects like git. IPFS can take files and manage them, store them, and track new versions. IPFS relies on a distributed file system that searches for hashes and if it exists on any node then the data will be displayed. This does not require any storage on a local system. Essentially it is a p2p web and does not use HTTP.
And there is so much more. It seems to be that there is a general movement towards autonomy and decentralization. This is all very exciting and so many opportunities are out there, if you can get them!