Sure Things

Authority is the easy part: First money, then power. The key is to recognize that the needs of enclosed populations are based on movement toward two-tier economic striation. Ultimately, there will be no middle class -- at least not on this planet -- just a small number of very rich people, among whom you hope to number, and the rest. Basically, you want to be a purveyor of energy, upscale products or life-or-death services, but the image you want, insofar as you allow it to be seen at all, must be professionally altruistic. It is consistent with your objective to be an advisor to governments, but never hold public office. To do so would make you familiar.

Be mysterious. Don't have a public address. Don't have a public phone number. Whatever you do, don't give interviews. The reason for this has to do with the zero-sumness of business in an enclosed society. (See "The Zero-Sum Syndrome".) You will be taking from people less well off than yourself. You can count on being hated. When you need a public face, use other people.

Promote superstition. Magic is a seductive lie, inviting all sorts of useful delusions about one's situation. Best of all is the delusion of faith -- truth without proof -- because it means you never have to offer any of either.

Having read all that, you will realize that many details have been omitted, not the least of which is how you are supposed to live with yourself. Hey, that's not my problem. Thales of Miletus did have one great advantage over you. His world was not yet enclosed.

The details are best spread over several articles. So, next month, in "Sure Things II", we'll examine the future of business according to frontier theory by describing some of the enterprises most likely to prosper as enclosure deepens.

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