Matrix

We use the term **Matrix** for the Real World as we might conceptualise it with our conventional - we might say common sense - categories. We seek a playful and memorable term, a short-hand which helps warn: > Hang on we are not doing that. Instead we are engaged in building something Entirely New.

So what exactly is this thing - the **Matrix** and how is it different form this New Thing we are supposedly creating?

# The Old World

The Matrix (unlike the film) represent the old traditional world of companies, churches, families, local governments, states and international organisations. These old world structures deserve our respect. They are the building blocks of modern society. They are advanced, evolved forms.

The real world institutions that make up the **Matrix** are usually encoded in laws, and these laws provide the scaffolding for human practice of finance, trade, and (amongst other forms), democratic decision making.

# Written with a Feather

What characterises these **old world** institutional forms is that they are written in stone with a chisel, or perhaps with more modern technology such as paper, ink and a quil.

Furthermore the institutions so written, were backed up by impressive buildings, and importantly fine clothes. Teh inter-subjective myth of their reality had to be reinforced using all the tradional elements of theatre and magic.

This did not prevent these institutions from dominating the known world. Joint stock corporations and other advanced forms may share they same DNA, and legal frameworks the world over, but they have evolved to literally transform the biological and geochemical nature of the planet. These life forms are formidable.

# Artificial Beings

They Live is a movie that tries to capture the artificial essence of the institutions that constitute the **Matrix**. They are in many ways the first AIs, or artifical beings. The technical term for this, long since (and accurately) represented by most jurisdictionas around the world is Legal Person. The **Matrix** is composed of legal persons.

# The New World

The New World is also composed of artificial beings, that evolve, and compete. But these beings move at the speed of light, and reproduce a billionfold in fractions of a second. These terifying new creatures, have yet to be fully emerge - but they are in a late stage of incubation. We would be wise to befreind them.

# Matrix Chat

ARCHIVE DWebSummit2016_Lightning_Talks_Session_B Decentralized Web Summit - SESSION B: Lightning Talks and Workshops featuring Matthew Hodgson - Matrix

# See also - Federated Wiki