Slide deck I presented at the 2018 North American Basic Income Guarantee Congress in Ontario, Canada. Adapted from this blog post of mine: http://www.scottsantens.com/social-network-basic-income-complex-systems-theory-emergence

1. An Introduction to the Application of Complex Systems Theory to
Basic Income Advocacy by Scott Santens

2. B.S. in Engineering Physics then Psychology
(cognitive neuroscience)
So many fascinating questions:
How does the brain work?
Where is consciousness?
Why do we behave as we do?
What does it mean to be human?
Where are we going as a species?

3. Complex Systems Theory
 Nonlinearity (butterfly virality), convergence, emergence,
adaptation
Network Strength
 Number of nodes, diversity of nodes, number of connections,
strength of connections
Social Network Strength
 Number of platforms, diversity of platforms, number of followers,
diversity of followers, strength of connections
Twitter
 Followers as nodes, activity as signals, communication as
connections

4.  Systems are comprised of interconnected interdependent components
that’s more than the sum of its parts.
 A bunch of trees is not just a bunch of trees. It’s an ecosystem full of
emergent properties that would not arise from a single tree or from
just as many trees entirely separate from each other. Study a single
tree all you want, and no matter how much you know about a tree,
you will not know about a forest what you think you know. The same
is true of knowing one person and knowing society as a whole.
 Look closer at the components and links of the systems that surround
us.
 Particles -> Forces -> Universe
 Computers -> WiFi -> Internet
 Accounts -> Connections -> Social Media Network
 Social networks are not just a bunch of users. They're user forests, and
they have emergent properties. We are forests of living cells. Our
shared emergent property is consciousness. Emergence is where the
incredible happens.

6. Unconditional Basic Income is an idea that needs a
massive worldwide system to propagate it
Global networks (Reddit, Twitter, Facebook, etc.)
Local networks (Meetup groups, hashtags, circles, etc.)
People (Number, variety, connection quantity/quality)
Content (Number, variety, quality, time to consume)
Engagement (Views, likes, shares, replies, comments)
Basic income as a seed
Just get the seed out there and give it a growth medium
Water it daily

7. Twitter as a brain
Users are neurons
Mutual follows are connections
Activity connects (follow, like, retweet, reply, tag, list)
Find and use tools
Tweetfull (auto-like, auto-follow)
Manageflitter (batch unfollow)
Roundteam (auto-retweet)
Twibble (rss feeds)
Canva (easy image creation)

8. Use hashtags properly
 It should make sense (#BasicIncome not #hellyeah)
 Keep in mind visual appeal
Tweet links should add something of value to link
 Quote, recommendation, summary, image, etc.
Retweet and follow those who retweet
 Click on retweet to view list
Use tweet threads over time
 Continuing a thread can bring new eyes to older tweet

9. Follow people you disagree with about other things
Filter bubbles are a bad thing and network strength
requires node diversity (mute if you must)
Try to treat people like people and bots like bots
Think honey and vinegar (and don’t feed the trolls)
Have fun!
Social media is supposed to be fun not torture. Remind
yourself.

10. Consciousness is an emergent property. When it comes to
unconditional basic income, we have to create a new
consciousness within the collective mind of humanity. This
requires getting people thinking about UBI, and getting those
thinking about it connected to each other, and to those not yet
thinking about it. With a large enough network of sufficient
size, diversity, connectivity, and activity, we can shift our
collective consciousness to one that asks how the hell we don’t
already have something so goddamn obvious.
You and I are a part of humanity’s brain. Without your activity,
we are the lesser. With it, we can change the world, because
within complex systems, small differences can have
consequences that magnify and amplify into a butterfly effect.

11. Find me online:
Scottsantens.com
Twitter.com/scottsantens
Facebook.com/scottsantens
Reddit.com/r/basicincome
Study suggestions for systems theory: W. Edwards
Deming and Dr. Robert Sapolsky