Trajectories of Intelligence

Came across a book review of Superintelligence. There have been several mentions recently of a fear of our species being superceded by various possible trajectories: artificial intelligence, genetic modifications, ? It seems to that there is an issue of perspective here. What is this life we have about? Is this form, state of being we want for the rest of the foreseeable future? The universe is changing constantly, creating more complex forms. Our is simply part of that trajectory. It is not the best, not the worst. It is simply a point in the journey. If we don't trust the journey, and are fearful of the paths it may take, does that make it more difficult to embrace the unfolding we are part of and ride the wave better? If we cling to fast to the present and the past, does that impede the journey, or is that too part of the journey?

Money - a different model?

Reading a book review about the autobiography of money led to a lunch time conversation and out of that conversation arose some thoughts on the nature of money. The underlying foundational premise is that the complexity we see arises from simple rules and an evolutionary process / flow in the context of this existence.

We have gravity as a basic relationship among entities. Gravity can be thought of as a relationship between entities with mass. The gross structure of the universe, the shape, distribution of matter  in to galaxies, clusters, solar systems, .... depends in large part on this one simple (?) relationship.

We can extend this notion of relationship to mammals as an "alpha" in a group organizes the structure of the group. In the initial context of this relationship among mammals, the attribute that creates this structure is physical strength. As the complexity of  mammalian societies increase, a different attribute is necessary to manage that complexity in a viable way. Money becomes the attribute which organizes the social structures. He/she/they who has it has the "mass"/ physical power/force to organize/create more complex forms of organization (societies).

A question that arises is what is the next attribute that becomes "mass" to create yet more complex forms of organization - a global society, a solar system society, a galactic society, ...?

And not that the nature of evolutionary process is generally to transcend and include. We still have dictators, bullies who rule based on physical power / force. At the next stage, we'll still have people who'll use money for unhealthy purposes.