Now remains of all those institutions exist, but they, like IBM command less and less clout. Or like railways, or the State or the Church, or Society, or broadcast channels, monopoly carriers or a plethora of once ruling classes.
Nobody knows even a working sub-set of everything, nobody is the boss of you, which means you can enter into any contract, given knowlege not the "reality" that supports their One Right Way.
But there remain those who want to live by their Status, poets, priests and politicians among many others, and maybe they can, but at least we'll know what they're doing.
Progressive societies, the movement from Status to Contract.
The coercive power of the centre is loosened, it must offer benefits, not commands, if it is to survive at all.
ObURL: http://www.businessweek.com/the_thread/techbeat/archives/2005/04/the_essential_m.html
Used to be a monopoly could ram it down your throat, any surprise we are not happy?