Facebook: the world's largest virtual nation?

Say what you will about the Facebook (NASDAQ: FB) IPO but it has taken another step in the history of this virtual nation.  "A nation?!" you ask. Why not? Is not nation simply an "aggregation of people of one or more cultures"? Lest we forget that each of us is a living, breathing, thinking human being with the power to associate. When bound by geography, we assume people who are merely associated by proximity must constitute some nationality. Why not those in a virtual world bound similarly but rather by technology (software and its respective database)?  As we've come to see the internet, that vast virtual universe, gathering place of various interests (some collaborative, others competing), for transportation and destination of ideas. Now, it is yet another example of the human urge to organize for the sake of itself.

To borrow from database parlance, if my primary key is some else's foreign key, then there must be some relationship: whether it's by linking, joining, liking, following, connections are made to bind these members. While the physical world struggles with borders, immigration law, passports, and personal identification, the virtual world has few such demands except for privacy, freedom, and unfettered dreaming.  Facebook, Twitter, Google, Yahoo, Microsoft, IBM, Oracle and the rest of them are all creations of the architects, designers, construction workers, and citizens of the Information Age.  The unregulated, ungoverned nature of the internet is its greatest strength.  While many of its citizenry may have libertarian tendencies, this may more accurately describe their impulse rather than their adopter political philosophy.  However, this is changing especially by the rapid rise of Ron Paul from political obscurity via grass fire movement.

From last Friday's market haggling on the unit value of just one of these virtual nations, perhaps real significance is the thought that nation building is no longer constrained to the ruling classes, political affiliation, or constitutions. Participants "vote" by engaging each other. Your activity is your consent.  Your lack of activity is your dissent. The social network may have monetized itself on Wall Street but it really isn't about the money.  You can hardly put a price on human activity...just ask any economist and, if they say they know, they really don't know. Perhaps, it is simply this: among the daily bustle of electronic traffic is a collection of declarations of independence and a wish to design a place to call home.

$2K Gold by August 2012

#CallingIt #gold > $2000 by August 2012 (or earlier) -- Cafe AJM Open 24/7 (@ajmcafe)

Doug Casey of Casey Research

Turn off #msm and listen to Doug Casey and James Turk |http://t.co/1Z1pZHEF | #economy #liberty #debt #gold #freemarket -- ajmcafe (@ajmcafe)

your world got smaller

Ubuntu for Android | Ubuntu

Facebook: Empire Census

#Facebook is the manifestation of the world census as decreed by Caesar Augustus in 8 BC. (Luke 2:1). So that all in the #empire are counted -- ajmcafe (@ajmcafe)

PIPA SOPA ACTA: End Game

Governments will control the #internet then award contracts to big media conglomerates to manage the info flow then bill you like #cable -- ajmcafe (@ajmcafe)

Left will call it "fairness". Right will call it "capitalism". The rest of us who are still awake will be using something else...a black market "free web" that will work thru alternative distribution channels and technologies.

Big governments with imperial aspirations desire control and will stop at nothing...keep tuned!

From Darkness Into Light of Freedom

As we celebrate achievements of the human spirit this month, please read this amazing letter from ex-slave to former owner after being asked to return to work http://t.co/28ArUQEq (HT @PaulHsieh) -- ajmcafe (@ajmcafe)

Of particular note is the former servant's offer to return contigent on back wages. He valued both his and his wife's labor and put a PRICE to it. Yes, this is the free market in action. Of course, he makes a greater point that liberty is priceless and that any attempt to return to a wretched existence would be mere folly.

Please read, reflect and share with your friends and family. There is no greater ideal than to live in freedom and truth.