After more than 20 weeks of original essays, we're trying something new!
As we begin to have real product updates, we'll send them out alongside the most interesting ideas and developments crossing our desk. We'll never send you generic link roundups just to fill our weekly newsletter quota.
This week:
- Can weaponized autism save America?
- Chips and China
- Zorp takes over the Nock runtime
- The two great civilization-grade chains born in Texas
Frontiers and Borders
Paul Fahrenheidt argues that young men who complain about having no frontier to explore should learn to define and enforce borders. Borders and frontiers are the same thing. Frontier is the French word for border. Fahrenheidt contrasts the Faustian will, which seeks to eliminate boundaries, with the new spirit of "Autism," which aims to define and categorize everything. He believes America's cultural mission is to dismantle its empire without causing global collapse, thereby allowing it to become a unique civilization: "Save America from becoming the world... Become the Civilization of Cincinnatus." Interesting idea that rhymes with what we've written about national borders (in Immanence Machines) and frontiers (in Faith, Exodus, and Decentralization).
Zorp is Taking Responsibility for the Nock Runtime
Zorp is building our entire stack around Sword (the Nock runtime, formerly known as Ares). After a friendly discussion with the new leadership of the Urbit Foundation, it has been agreed that Zorp will take responsibility for Ares. The repo has now been transferred. Follow @ZorpZK and @nockemsockem (our CTO Edward Amsden) if you’re particularly interested in Sword. We're excited to take full responsibility for its development.
Chips and China
Jon Stokes observes that the US lacks a competitive domestic chip industry and won't develop one in the next decade, leading to reliance on TSMC chips potentially compromised by CCP backdoors. A complete overhaul of US industrial policy is needed, but even with efforts to re-shore chipmaking, the US will face a period of vulnerability to Chinese influence and sabotage.
Civilization-Grade Chains Born in Texas
