Post #2838179
2026-03-09 20:57 UTC
@graydon@types.pl One way to think of it (that just occurred to me now but has probably been written about before by others): currencies, calendars, and clocks are among the most powerful tools that empires have used to impose order on their subjects.
Replies (3)
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@mycorrhiza@post.lurk.org 2026-03-09 21:13
“Wait, what’s wrong with calendars?” Don’t get me wrong; paying attention to where you are within the solar cycle makes a ton sense. Measures like “about one quarter-moon before the spring equinox” probably provide all the precision you need if you want to do agriculture or forage effectively. But this “Monday March ninth” shit is for the bosses.
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@leon@social.sawpitgully.net 2026-03-09 21:34
@mycorrhiza@post.lurk.org @graydon@types.pl See also, "Seeing like a State": https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Seeing_Like_a_State
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@graydon@types.pl 2026-03-09 21:35
@mycorrhiza@post.lurk.org it has indeed been written about by many people!