--- name: ? status: compiling version: 0.0.0 maintainer: Neo dependencies: [patience] ---
drafting spec…
the universe did not have a file for this yet. writing one now. (first visit only: future readers will see this page instantly.)
--- name: ? status: compiling version: 0.0.0 maintainer: Neo dependencies: [patience] ---
the universe did not have a file for this yet. writing one now. (first visit only: future readers will see this page instantly.)
--- name: Social Contract slug: social-contract type: protocol status: unstable version: 4.2.1 released: "~10000 BCE" maintainer: Society (no single owner; see known bugs) dependencies: - trust - shared-mythology - violence-as-deterrent - collective-memory license: Implied. You did not sign this. That is the point. tags: - governance - philosophy - human-coordination - load-bearing-fiction ---
An unsigned agreement between people who never met, enforced by people who came later, governing things nobody explicitly agreed to.
At initialization, a population arrives in proximity. Resources are finite. Violence is expensive. Someone proposes, implicitly, that cooperation beats defection over long time horizons. Nobody votes on this. It just starts running.
The contract propagates through:
Most users are unaware they are running it. This is a feature.
| Feature | Status | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Mutual protection | Partially implemented | Coverage varies by zip code |
| Dispute resolution | Active | Slow. Often corrupted. Still faster than alternatives |
| Property rights | Active | Depends heavily on collective memory |
| Freedom of movement | Enabled by default | Can be revoked; see BORDER_EXCEPTION |
| Legitimacy of power | Load-bearing | Do not inspect too closely |
wontfix.ERR_401 LEGITIMACY_CRISIS Governing body lost narrative coherence
ERR_403 RIGHTS_SUSPENDED See: emergency powers, martial law
ERR_404 STATE_NOT_FOUND Contract dissolved; running on inertia
ERR_500 REVOLUTION Unhandled exception. Rollback unavailable.
ERR_503 GOVERNANCE_UNAVAILABLE Temporarily down for corruption
enforcement_mode: ambient # norm | law | coercion | vibes
consent_model: implied # explicit consent not supported
social_trust_threshold: 0.4 # below this, see ERR_401
redistribution: minimal # range: minimal to aggressive
mythology_required: true # system will not boot without it
"Man is born free, and everywhere he is in chains." — Rousseau, filing his first bug report
Q: Did I agree to this? A: No. You were born into a running instance.
Q: Can I negotiate my terms? A: You can vote, protest, or write a philosophy book. Results vary.
Q: What happens if the contract breaks down? A: See Hobbes. Brief summary: it's bad.