Mating and Dating in a Network State - Part One
Why Does it Matter?
This is the first of a four-part series exploring what mating and dating might look like in a network state. I am part of 1729, which is an online-group related to Network States, created by Balaji Srinivasan. 1729 has a writers group and we are writing articles related to Network States. You can check out the other writers' work here.
If you are not familiar with what a network state is, here is the definition in one sentence, one image, or one thousand words, or one essay.
This Four-Part Series Covers
Part 1 - Why does dating and mating matter for a network state?
Part 2 - Potential problems for dating and mating in a network state
Part 3 - Advantages to dating and mating in a network state
Part 4 - What could make dating and mating go more smoothly in a network state?
These topics could be controversial, if this does not sound like something you would like to read about, you are formally invited to stop reading. If you are still with me, here we go. Please note all opinions on my Substack are my own. Also, I am exploring what could happen if/when a variety of network states are created, not necessarily my own personal preferences for what I would like the network state that I participate in to look like.
So, why is mating and dating important for a network state?
For Today I Will Cover
Countries Need People
Providing Superior Alternatives for Individuals
Moral Innovations Related to Mating and Dating
Choosing Mating or Dating as a priority
Prioritizing Mating over Dating
Prioritizing Dating over Mating
Last Thoughts
Countries Need People
For starters, I will quote the person (Balaji Srinivasan) who coined the term Network State. In a recent presentation to the 1729 writers group, I heard Balaji say something to the effect of
“How will we know that we have created a real community? When you can find a mate.”
Please note, I did not memorize the exact quote.
Second, all countries throughout history have one thing in common. They have people. A network state will also need people, unless you want to build a network state for robots or depend solely on immigration. To date, every country has created all or the vast majority of their population through males and females mating. It is true that there is currently artificial insemination and artificial wombs are on the horizon. However, I think that human procreation will remain a large part of creating new humans for the next few decades.
A network state would also have to consider if citizenship has a relationship to families. Does being a son or daughter of a network citizen guarantee citizenship? Perhaps the offspring of network state citizens could be citizens until they reach a certain age and then there could be a coming-of-age ritual where they decide to be a part of the Network State as adults.
Providing Superior Alternatives for Individuals.
Legacy countries (AKA what we currently think of as “countries”) have a lot of issues. They do however have one huge advantage, the network effect. Currently, the vast majority of humans on the planet are citizens of a legacy country.
In order to convince individuals to participate in a network state, individuals will need to be convinced that it is worth the time and effort to do so. Essentially, if a startup company solves the problems of a consumer or customer, a startup society or network state needs to solve the problems of a legacy-country citizen.
Moral Innovations Related to Mating and Dating
One way network states could attract citizens is to offer better options in terms of dating and mating. For example, how technology could be used in dating and mating. AI could be used to perform advanced matchmaking. Or, on the opposite extreme, technology such as dating apps could be banned.
A network state could also create a different culture. Perhaps monogamy is more strictly enforced, whether that be serial monogamy or monogamy for life. Or maybe polyamory is the default. This could be part of a religious or non-religious society. I could also imagine a network state made up completely of gay men or lesbian women. Perhaps, a network state made up of exclusively heterosexual individuals. Although, the gay male network state would have more challenges pro-creating unless artificial wombs go live.
You may be asking yourself, or I may be asking myself if all of these classify as a “moral innovation”. After all, the current definition of a network state requires a moral innovation. However, I think the proper question is actually “How many people are there on the planet that would want to join a network state with one of these characteristics who would consider it a moral innovation?”
Mating or Dating as a Priority
A network state could also heavily focus more on either dating or mating. Some individuals would prefer a society where the emphasis is on creating families that raise children. Meanwhile, other people would prefer to live in a society where the emphasis is on couples as opposed to children and families.
Prioritizing Mating over Dating
A network state that prioritizes mating over dating could implement a variety of measures to increase reproductive health and fertility. For example, banning plastics for anything related to food or drink, or more powerful filtration of water. There could also be a variety of measures related to improving general health and fertility.
Many are currently concerned that tech companies or government-run education systems play an oversized role in forming young minds. A network state might prioritize subsidies allowing one parent to spend more time raising children and less time working.
Prioritizing Dating over Mating
On the other end of the spectrum, there are other people who do not wish to have children or families. These individuals might prefer living in a world optimized for social life and dating. Such a network state would look very different and would need to include a healthy dose of immigration in order to replenish the population.
Last Thoughts
This was a rough draft, please send your thoughts on anything I should add or improve. Stay tuned for more.