P2P Relational System
From P2P Foundation
P2P is described by Michel Bauwens as the relational system of a distributed network. The idea of a relational system draws on the work of Alan Page Fiske. Fiske's work looks at how a social model can be described, and focuses on "sociality," the tendency to form social groups and interact with others.
There are many ways to describe a social model, and this article assumes that a P2P Relational System exists along with other systems, and that the system will take into account individuals, groups, private and shared resources, as well as relationships with individuals, groups, and things that are using a different relational system.
Contents |
Evolution of Relational Models
Topic Areas
The Environment
In today's world an individual can draw on seemingly countless concerns when it comes to their quality of life.
Characteristic Individual Behavior
Characteristic Group Behavior
Evaluative Criteria - How Individuals Meet Their Needs
Assumptions About Participation
How Conflicts are Handled
With regard to the work of Fiske, P2P's Relational System looks might appear to be a modified version that combines all of the most common relational systems. On the whole the system might bear more resemblance to communal sharing when looking at the ways of interacting between the members of the production system, but this would gloss over the fact that individuals are called upon to engage in a host of evaluative
"Self-organization appears as the major form of collective organization in Web 2.0 relational structures. This form of cooperation doesn't correspond to a planned model of collective processes and has no real centre of organization."
Aguiton, Christophe and Cardon, Dominique, The Strength of Weak Cooperation: An Attempt to Understand the Meaning of Web 2.0. Available at SSRN: http://ssrn.com/abstract=1009070
Self-Interest and Altruism
There are many manifestations of self-interest and altruism. Some of these forms are only present in certain types of complex systems that are made up of certain types of information flows. The topology of the distributed network is often includes a dizzying array of individual choice. This environment can induce the peer to look in a number of directions for information while looking inside for their inner insight and choice of direction. The idea of working alone is terrifying to many people. To contend with the world and endless threats with no community of peers is a daunting task to envision, and yet the concept of freedom, of a complete lack of binding ties to anything else, still has a tremendous drawing power for individuals of the species. Of course that yearn for freedom is mediated by the practical concerns of food, clothes, shelter, and other forms of experience that are social, often, or at least easier with the help and company of others.
Alignment for Collaboration in a Distributed Network
Alignment is used here to describe how an individual expresses their self-interest in an effort to accomplish their goals in a community of peers. Should an individual consider their lot as that of an individual in a distributed network there are a number of protocols that are not easily avoided, and alignment is one of the more common procedures in a distributed network. In other terms alignment might be described as "protocol negotiation" but this term does not capture the process an individual goes through in knowing their needs that leads up to interacting with others. This alignment protocol is used when a peer is considering how to meet their needs, and begins to look to other peers or common resources in the network. Alignment continues through the negotiation of agreements with peers that establish the collaboration protocol, and alignent continues as peers encounter the need to change courses or re-negotiate.
Today's process of alignment is complex. Today's environment is fraught with potential peril, and the consideration of moving forward in pursuit of our goals often brings up nascent fears that we aren't always prepared to deal with. Because of this, many individuals cannot conceive of themselves as participating in a distributed network. Neither do they wish for complete disintermediation when it comes to the resources they require for their pursuit of goals.
In a distributed network peers look to each other, in part, because of the need to do so, and also because the social benefits are enriching. It's possible to do many things to take care of ourselves, and it all becomes easier when we learn some skills about aligning our interests with those of others in the network. As studies in human development show, our ability to meet our needs grows with time and experience. The alignment protocol grows in sophistication, breadth, and depth with time.
Alignment in Human Development Theory
Early attempts at alignment are drawn from our childhood. We are looking for shelter from our caretakers. As we learn how to accomplish these needs by negotiating with those in our immediate family environment, we attempt to extend these same activities beyond the walls of the house. We meet with conflict, occasionally, adapt, and become formidable in commanding our needs. At some point we learn that others have needs as well. We learn that helping them does not always take from our own opportunity. Later we learn that some agreements require trust and time, and that our needs aren't met immediately. Our knowledge of the world increases and we are able to make plans for meeting our needs, and begin to include in those plans an accounting of the needs of others. Planning for the needs and requests of others gives us additional insight into the rich tapestry of our social network. Over time we can make plans that take years to come to fruition, involve many people, and in the process, we learn that giving up small aspects of our plans so that we might work with others doesn't hurt our big plans, and that the activity often helps along the way.
Peer Alignment Example for A Distributed Network
What follows is a brief look at what kind of process a peer can go through in order to align their interests with others.
- Am I clear about my goals? What more do I need to know to clarify them?
- Do I know exactly what I wish to achieve? The steps to get there?
- What do I need to accomplish my goals?
- Can I accomplish my goals alone? What type of value from others do I need?
- If I cannot accomplish these goals alone, what do I need from others?
- What will the benefit be to others who work with me? Can I explain the benefit I would receive so that others might understand?
- If others understand my goals, is there a chance that they will impede my progress by knowing and acting with that information?
- What certainty do I need, in order to collaborate with others who may have the opportunity to impede my goals?
- Is the certainty I need a likely outcome? What level of certainty is likely?
- Who can help me to accomplish these goals?
- Who would be motivated to help me accomplish these goals? Who shares these goals already? What else do we or might we have in common?
- Are there people in my network already working on these solutions?
- Can collaboration speed me on my pursuit of my goals?
- Will my goals or needs impede the progress of my peers?
- If my goals or needs impede the progress of my neighbor, is this a critical issue?
- Can I adjust my goals or needs to that I can find common cause with my peer?
- How can I reach an agreement of common cause with my peer?
- Will the product of our collaboration be worth the work of reaching agreement terms of collaboration?
- Do I approach the peer, then?
More Information
Internal Links
- The Relational category on the P2P Foundation Wiki
- Relational Model Typology - Fiske
- Contemporary Individualization is Relational
- Defining P2P as the relational dynamic of distributed networks
External Links
- Alan Page Fiske http://www.sscnet.ucla.edu/anthro/faculty/fiske/
- Les uns avec les autres : Quand l'individualisme crée du lien [Poche] François de Singly (Auteur)
- Wikipedia on Enlightened Self-Interest
- Nash Equilibrium - Short description and example]
