From an evolutionary perspective, only the ones who survive matter.

So in that spirit, the only way to create a society resistant to power consolidations is one that actively recognizes, seeks out and annihilates said power consolidations.

As otherwise, they will annihilate everything opposing them – as history tells us.

There are gentler social traditions to distribute wealth and power so as to avoid consolidation. Probably the post-colonial world is beyond that point.

A scary prospect, to be sure, but in the grand scheme of things… “The secrets of evolution are time and death” as Carl Sagan said in Cosmos.

I go with Njalla for torrents until I hear anything weird about them

No, Njalla at njal.la offers port forwarding

Doesn’t seem like you read any of it, and it doesn’t seem like you are open to new ideas. So… In the status quo you remain then. Good luck!

This is a bit of an old reply, but I thought I’d post something I stumbled upon here as it’s a response to your fear of warlords: https://kolektiva.social/@HeavenlyPossum/111290743792188200

From the post (it’s quite extensive with plenty of references):

“Once people are free of state violence and hierarchy, how can they just stop some bad actor from taking over?”

The assumption is that people who are free from coercive hierarchies are powerless to act in their own self defense, alone or in cooperation with each other.

(The question is usually accompanied by some invocation of the dreaded “war lord” whom the questioner assumes will inevitably overrun a nonstate or non-hierarchical community.)

So, I thought I would take a crack at answering this as comprehensively as I can!>>

Also, the bell curve does not have a single bottom.

A bell curve counts the frequencies of a single parameter. A person, such as a teenager, does not fit on it.

Human organisation and leadership may be an inherent part of us. That is not government…

I find it funny the way people just accept that they are sheep and need someone to protect them from the big bad wolf. And, of course, enlist the big bad wolf to protect them.

Not at all

I think you underestimate the impact of technological progress.

Back in the day, you needed an army who could betray you. Tomorrow, you can deploy a fleet of self-governing robots to kill thousands. Of course, only accessible to the rich.

For ordinary folk, the future is looking grim indeed.

Actually, citizens pay taxes to avoid going to jail or, in the olden days (perhaps soon to be reintroduced), to avoid being killed on the spot.

They vote because when you are locked in a room with no way out, you’ll push one of the buttons in front of you frantically - trying to figure out if, perhaps, they are pushed just like this, you’ll get out.

When you’re not paying taxes or voting, someone richer than Smaug from the Hobbit is cashing in on the rest of your life.

To call this a system that serves its citizens seems… I’m not sure what to call it. Naïve? Misguided? Uninformed?

Eh, we DIDN’T invent government. Government invented itself to control and exploit us. They do so to the degree of our tolerance levels and the level to which we are manipulated.

The solution to all/most of these points is open source software & hardware.

Nowadays the main question is whether it’s open source or not. Anything closed source sucks, or will imminently suck. The more open source it is, the more modular, the more repairable, etc.

Yes this goes for hardware too.

Another point: Avoid ‘smart’ devices at all costs. They are hardware spyware, full stop, and will stop working whenever it is deemed you need to buy a new one.

What we’re avoiding is capitalist opportuism hidden in tech and the solution for that is not to find a good provider. The solution is to find a provider that has a ‘business model’ that protects against the brunt of this extractive BS.

Power is like a black hole. This isn’t about wealth, it’s about power. It’s only concern is growing itself.

This is what I learned from the Lord of the Rings.

My school teacher taught me I should be surprised at things like this.

Luckily, I am no longer 12.

Hmm hmm. I’d recommend reading this: https://crimethinc.com/2019/04/08/against-the-logic-of-the-guillotine-why-the-paris-commune-burned-the-guillotine-and-we-should-too

It argues for why capital punishment is not necessarily a good route to go.

Yes, slavery. It’s been around for ages.

In 1962 there were no “lethal autonomous weapons”.

Only if other people can’t hear you or you’ll be a disturber of the peace.