What can a 2,500-year-old text teach modern network state builders? More than you might think. Our third Edeneum salon dove deep into Thucydides and his "History of the Peloponnesian War" with network state founders, researchers, and digital nomads from around the globe. What surfaced were parallels between ancient Greek city-states origins and problems and today's emerging startup societies.
Salon Materials
[Presentation] Complete presentation slides from Salon 003
[Watch] Full salon recording (1.5 hours)
[Mint POAP] If you attended and were not able to mint your POAP, please reach out to me, Jim or Salman for these commemorative NFTs by Salman proving your participation.
You can also watch the recording and transcript on our Substack.
Now, let’s do a quick recap of this amazing salon.
The Discussion: Key Themes
Part 1: Migration & The Nomadic Question
Thucydides described ancient peoples who were "readily abandoning their homes under pressure of superior numbers, without commerce, without freedom of communication... destitute of capital, never planting their land."
Modern parallels discussed:
The West’s Migration Pressures: Just as ancient tribes migrated due to resource scarcity and political instability, millions today leave economically struggling or politically unstable regions seeking opportunities in more prosperous nations. This has created significant tensions in America, France, and across the West.
Citizen Resistance Patterns: Growing segments of established populations express concerns about rapid demographic changes, economic impacts, and cultural integration - mirroring ancient city-states' reactions to incoming populations seeking refuge.
Network State Alternative: The discussion explored how network states could offer a different model:
Voluntary Association: Unlike forced migration due to crisis, network state movement would be purpose-driven and voluntary
Value-Based Entry: Communities built around shared missions rather than geographic accidents of birth
Lifestyle Liquidity: Joshua's concept of fluid movement between aligned communities rather than permanent displacement
Key insight from Joshua (Loci founder):
"Migration today isn't linear—it's about lifestyle liquidity and the freedom to flow through the world while maintaining community bonds."
You can find and connect with Joshua on X, LinkedIn and definitely check out his Startup Society Loci.
Part 2: Identity → Collective Action
Thucydides argued that ancient Greeks couldn't achieve collective action because they lacked a "common identity, common name." This sparked intense debate about modern network state identity formation.
Highlights:
Balaji's "one commandment" concept (Jay's New Conga uses "gamify everything")
Nation-states' monopoly on identity through social security numbers and national IDs
Bitcoin as a "modern religion" creating network effects among digital nomads
2b. The Land Problem
The most contentious topic: how do digital-first communities eventually acquire physical presence?
Challenges identified:
DAOs attempting land purchases often fail completely
Regulatory hurdles remain massive obstacles
Even successful online communities must address physical space
Solutions explored:
Following the Mennonite migration model—bringing clear value to host jurisdictions
Charter cities approach: partnership over independence
Multiple network communities sharing physical spaces with different governance layers
This remains one of the crucial challenges startup societies must explore.
Voice Spotlight: Our Global Participants
Jay Dubois - Launching "Nukanga," an education-focused network school: "Schools are the perfect structure for organizing people with a collective mission interested in productivity and discussion."
Joshua - Founder of Loci, longtime international nomad building the "land protocol for everybody else's beautiful digital communities": "After about four years following network states, probably the best way to never get land is to form a DAO and try to raise money and get one. Land is where it's at - it's been where it's at through all of history."
Chance - Original 1729 Discord founder who interviewed 150+ people across pop-up cities: "What does a cloud community actually bring to the table for jurisdictions they want to enter?"
Dolores - Lawyer from Edge City Patagonia: "We have lots of land here that technology has now made viable—whole states that are essentially 'green' for new development."
Ryan - AI professional at Network School: "There's a fundamental conflict between nomadic lifestyles and governance—if you haven't pledged loyalty to a community, should you have a say in its governance?"
Three Key Takeaways
Historical Precedent Matters: Ancient federations offer proven models for voluntary association that network states can adapt
Identity Drives Everything: Strong collective identity remains essential for governance and coordination, whether in ancient Greece or modern digital communities
Land Strategy Can't Be an Afterthought: Physical presence requires early planning and clear value propositions to host jurisdictions
Resources & Deep Dives
a. Essential Reading List
Harvey Mansfield's "Student's Guide to Political Philosophy"
Balaji Srinivasan's "The Network State"
Aristotle’s The Organon
b. Study Groups on Luma
Join me on the path to human perfection:
Logic (Aristotle's complete Organon)
Mathematics
Natural Sciences
Divine Science/Metaphysics
Join Menaחem’s study on logic with Aristotle's Organon on Luma.
The Organon Curriculum by Aristotle (more in Notion)
Political Philosophy Curriculum (more in Notion)
"The first order of governance is with yourself.
You are the first city to conquer."
Next Steps
Upcoming Events: The Network State Conference in Singapore.
You can sign up and attend physically or join via Zoom.
P.S. Special thanks to Salman for the beautiful POAP design and to all participants for making this salon a truly global conversation spanning from Patagonia to Malaysia to Network School Singapore.
