You’re echoing Martin Gurri here. I finished his book and loved it, but I think he’s wrong about networks being unable to create. Bitcoin (pause for the audience to roll its eyes) is a great example of how networks can enable people to say “yes” to a vision of the future. Humans have never collaborated at the scale of bitcoin without some hierarchy.

As for what this future enables, I imagine that projects like the EU, US and China likely to fail, but their constituent states are operating at scales that are still workable. Solid money prevents much of bad state behavior and will lead to states competing to be more competent business environments.

Oh, and I expect that cave of illusions will get even more elaborate and insane. The algorithms are all in their infancy in terms of what they can do, and despite this infantile level of technology (as viewed from inside the sausages factory) they are still incredible at holding attention. I expect that to get worse, so the future will be even more prosperous and safe than the present, but it will seem even scarier to people who chose that kind of fantasy.