voc – sterlin lujan – logos circles for parallel societies
Sterlin Lujan – Logos Circles: Activism for Parallel Societies
valley of the commons – 9.15.26 – sterlin lujan – logos circles for parallel societies
more on sterlin and logos ness bottom of this page
notes/quotes from 91 min video [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fb-ELbnuW_w]:
1 min – felix: intro – last week.. talking about gov and funding this week.. sterlin is going to give an intro to logo circles.. the movement side of logos and how they try to make a diff in the world.. sterlin with polis labs.. but also part of logos and involved in logos movement side of things.. not sure if you’re going to set up a circle here ..
2 min – sterlin: after seeing keynotes.. really excited to provide you w logos because some central ideas about logos and logos mission that i think will be completely useful for this community.. aspects that may have been missing from other talks.. so this is going to be an exciting talk for me
3 min- sterlin: one of primary ideas that animates the spirit of our time and emboldens us to act in this world is that all of our systems are broken the edifice it rests upon are completely unable to meet our human needs.. system actually works to harm us in a variety of ways. if we don’t take action to course correct we are inevitably to be doomed
to me deeper.. (warning ness) than a ‘course correct’.. we need a means of global detox.. because ever since that day we haven’t grokked legit needs..
ie: need means (nonjudgmental expo labeling) to undo hierarchical listening – so we can hear what’s already on each heart as global detox in order to org around legit needs
4 min – sterlin: what animates this is the idea about exit.. instead of trying to confront the systems that control us .. we leave those systems/societies.. i think that is what we are doing here.. but i also think this is happening on masse around the world.. globally on a planetary scale.. logos reps a interesting iteration on this same exit philosophy
yeah that.. but .. nothing to date (ever since that day) has gotten to that root of problem
findings from on the ground ness deep dive on why we need tech w/o judgment
ie: the dance won’t dance unless/until it’s 1\ all of us 2\ legit free
5 min – sterlin: *what is actually imperiling us: 60% adults unhappy w democracy; approval of key demo leaders/parties low; end of 2025 92 autocracies & 87 democracies worldwide.. this is thinking about systems that act as a control system for society.. so not only people largely disatisfied w democracy.. but most people still living under a regime.. over years govts/corps control over lives.. ie: econ controlled.. my own philosophy is that it is the west state that has created this aparatus of capitalism.. controlling every part of our lives: **housing, health, welfare, security, infra, ed, institutions, governance.. those are a lot of sectors we lack the agency to control.. logos is about – what are the ways we can have a reclamation of agency in the trans historial arc..
oof.. *not deep enough to resonate with everyone.. ie: our ‘imperiling’ ness (on the ground ness) was – why so many suicides.. why can’t we wait till 5pm or the weekends.. is there a diff way to spend our days.. then.. what conditions do we need to be legit free (rather than improve all the **cancerous distractions)
we need a problem deep enough to resonate w/8b today.. via a mechanism simple enough to be accessible/usable to 8b today.. in an ecosystem open enough to set/keep 8b legit free
ie: org around a problem deep enough (aka: org around legit needs) to resonate w/8b today.. via a mechanism simple enough (aka: tech as it could be) to be accessible/usable to 8b today.. and an ecosystem open enough (aka: sans any form of m\a\p) to set/keep 8b legit free
8 min – sterlin: deca talked about this yesterday.. talked about all over the web.. something i’m personally passionate about.. this notion of the meaning crisis.. coined by john vervacke – awakening to the meaning crisis.. saying: 1\ attached to meaning crisis we have a mental health crisis.. ramping up of psych meds w no impact
john vervaeke et al.. myth of normal et al
to me.. (and again warning ness).. thinking we have to have meaning ness is also a cancerous distraction to the dance
something we found out via deep dive of on the ground ness.. ‘meaning’ .. ‘purpose’ .. whatever showed up much like even a raised eyebrow.. keeping us thinking we have to know something unknowable (graeber can’t know law..graeber unpredictability/surprise law..) and so keeping us from the dance
again.. this is why we need tech w/o judgment.. because we can’t seem to let go enough (even of thinking we have to have meaning/purpose) to try/see the thing we’ve not yet tried/seen: the unconditional part of left to own devices ness
[‘in an undisturbed ecosystem ..the individual left to its own devices.. serves the whole’ –dana meadows]
there’s a legit use of tech (nonjudgmental exponential labeling) to facil the seeming chaos of a global detox leap/dance
ie: whatever for a year.. a legit sabbatical ish transition
otherwise we’ll keep perpetuating the same song.. the whac-a-mole-ing ness of sea world.. of not-us ness.. of part\ial ness.. perpetuating survival triage..
10min – sterlin: 1 person dying every 43 seconds by suicide.. really tragic thing.. vervaeke – as far back as axial rev we have been disenchanting our world.. we must remediate/rectify with some immediacy.. this loss of agency is the feedback loop of suicidal, meaning crisis.. all the mental destruction that so many are feeling around the world.
rather.. that everyone is feeling.. hari present in society law et al.. ever since that day.. and yet.. we do have the means for the most immediate (sans takes a lot of work/time ness everyone keeps bringing up).. but we keep missing it .. overlooking it.. because we can’t seem to let go enough.. ie: need to let go of any form of m\a\p.. for (blank)’s sake..
12 min – sterlin: on this historical arc of how this has come to fruition .. ever since enlightenment thinking.. post rationalism.. post wartime.. idea behind sciences.. et al.. deprived us of some element of meaning/truth/beauty/justice/belonging.. embedded in the individual element.. i believe that’s why we’re all here .. trying to find a way to reaffirm our humanity.. the importance beauty bestowed on us by our planet.. why the notion of meaning crisis has become so critical
again.. explain away.. but history ness.. meaning/truth/justice ness.. et al (to me) is whalespeak.. so a cancerous distraction to the dance.. keeping us perpetuating again – survival rather than living.. keeping us perpetuating mufleh humanity law
again.. need 1st/most: means (nonjudgmental expo labeling) to undo hierarchical listening – so we can hear what’s already on each heart as global detox in order to org around legit needs (aka: 2 missing pieces)
13 min – sterlin: vervaeke: one of ways we can rectify this crisis.. we need to regen this collection of wisdom/meaning-making practices.. our spiritual traditions.. our institutions that provided value..
not deep enough.. ie: intellectness as cancerous distraction et al.. graeber can’t know law.. et al..
again.. findings from on the ground ness deep dive on why we need tech w/o judgment
ie: the dance won’t dance unless/until it’s 1\ all of us 2\ legit free
legit freedom will only happen if it’s all of us.. and in order to be all of us.. has to be sans any form of measuring, accounting, people telling other people what to do
which begs a means with no prep.. no train.. et al
and nothing to date (ever since that day) has gotten to that root of problem
14 min – sterlin – putnam’s bowling alone – clubs eroded .. replaced w industrial corp.. trying to find a way to recreate that is really important.. not a black pill that we should all follow of sadness and tragedy.. but we should comprehend and understand what has failed..
the dance won’t be about all if people need to understand/comprehend.. we need a means to detox leap to the dance
17 min – sterlin: was working on masters degree in counseling.. got offer to work in crypto.. 10 yrs ago.. amazing space to be in
18 min – sterlin: what we have to do and i think we are doing.. a term i haven’t heard a lot of people use.. but really important to building a parallel society.. same idea – ecovillage et al.. a lot of words for this idea.. exiting and bringing own values to develop a better future for our children.. a worthy goal
19 min – sterlin: where parallel polis idea came from – will probably talk on it for over an hour.. the parallel polis story – exit concept.. 60s-80s in czek.. massive control apparatus via communist regime to make people’s lives a living hell..
24 min – sterlin: logos tech stack.. takes a lot of time to build the rails and make it usable.. like linux.. diff layers.. packages.. apps.. it’s called basecamp..
28 min – sterlin: one of most developing pieces of protocal the logos blockchain.. the governance structure
blockchain ness et al
30 min – sterlin: a big piece is to protect our data/personhood/id .. zuboff’s surveillance capitalism.. behaviorial surplus extracted from us
to me.. not deep enough if still talking ie: personhood/id/protection.. et al
ie: if using behavioral ness.. just using whalespeak.. not legit data of legit free people..
rather.. need self-talk as data via idiosyncratic jargon as crypto ness
shoshana zuboff – age of surveillance capitalism
31 min – sterlin: this is the part i’m heavily invested/interested in.. *a novel way to handle community building that is qualitatively diff.. thatn even an eco village idea.. logo circles are self org’s groups that take action to address issues that matter in their communication.. rather than trying to reform broken or rigged institution, they focus on building **practical alts that can operate independently and be sustained thru the network.. we want to ***empower your community to solve problems.. esp if they are of massive gov failures
*not novel/diff is still any form of m\a\p.. rather just same song
**won’t be a legit alt.. won’t reach all.. won’t be sustained.. if still ***solving ness of same song ness
the legit alt.. the thing we’ve not yet tried/seen: the unconditional part of left to own devices ness
[‘in an undisturbed ecosystem ..the individual left to its own devices.. serves the whole’ –dana meadows]
ie: imagine if we listen to the itch-in-8b-souls 1st thing everyday & use that data to connect us
there’s a legit use of tech (nonjudgmental exponential labeling) to facil the seeming chaos of a global detox leap/dance (tech as it could be.. ai as augmenting interconnectedness)
33 min – sterlin: if you go into community and start trying to solve a bunch of problems.. likely you are going to be stepping on toes
rather.. stepping on toes if still any form of m\a\p.
33 min – sterlin: where this comes from.. so we’re not reinventing the wheel.. we’re very much looking at ie: smart tasks .. to be very specific and clear .. to build momentum/fluency in groups..
again from voc – michel bauwens – return of the commons – thinking we need to quit reinventing the wheel ie: good bye cycle and try something legit diff.. something we can’t know.. can’t specify/clarify.. et al..
35 min – sterlin: some wins – logos already has 40 some circles around the world.. it’s taken a lot of energy and capital to make this happen..
to me.. again.. takes a lot of work ness is a huge red flag we’re doing it/life wrong .. aka: not a win.. the dance can’t do that.. or it won’t dance..
42 min – sterlin: it’s all about clarity/focus.. community resonance.. it’s actionable.. it’s measurable.. also aligned w logos values (decent, mutual aid/trust, crypto et al)
43 min – sterlin: has them all vote on what they want as an issue.. the they vote on it
oi.. i used that technique in the classroom like that 20 years ago.. not new
57 min – sterlin: highly recommend you get book by founder of all this called farewell to westphalia.. covers much of what i covered today and more.. this is obligatory reading if want to understand what’s happening from our perspective.. i think a lot of people already have the book
oi.. if have to’s.. not legit diff.. if any form of m\a\p
1:01 – q&a
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more on sterlin via twitter:
@SterlinLujan
Building a Parallel Mind for the post-Westphalian era. Founder and President @polis_labs. Writer at counter-governance. @Logos_Network Movement Team. Host. Nomadland polis-labs.org
more on polis labs:
via twitter @polis_labs: Polis Labs is an independent, mission-driven research institute studying how free communities coordinate, why they fail, and what frameworks help them endure. Nonprofits & Activism global polis-labs.org
via their site:
The science of voluntary order
Polis Labs is an independent research institute studying how free communities coordinate, why they fail, and what frameworks help them endure. We publish, theorize, and build the intellectual and cultural infrastructure for the parallel society movement.
from above.. not voluntary.. not free.. because ie: intellectual/cultural infra.. that’s why all have failed to date..
Purpose
Polis Labs studies voluntary order as a substrate for human flourishing. We work to expand liberty, prosperity, and dignity by understanding how cooperation emerges, stabilizes, and scales without coercion at its center.
many red flags of coercion ness thru out presentation and site et al.. if aany form of m\a\p.. not legit for humanity.. so still mufleh humanity law et al
Our Mission
Polis Labs builds the science of voluntary order for the parallel society movement.
rather.. aka: a kinder seeming voluntary compliance
Our Vision
A vibrant ecosystem of parallel societies through which civilization learns to coordinate without coercion.
to me (warning ness) if ie: ‘learning to coord’ .. then still coercion ing the dance
What We Do
We conduct quantitative and qualitative research on emergent communities, build the governance frameworks they need to endure, and work directly with the people constructing them. The discipline is what we call Applied Human Governance: treating governance not as a settled question but as an unsolved empirical problem, one that yields to experimentation rather than dogmatic addiction to a single form.
cancerous distractions to the dance
team:
Sterlin Lujan – President: Sterlin is a social entrepreneur, writer, crypto-anarchist, network thinker, and futurist. He is the founder of Polis Labs, a research institute for building a science of voluntary governance. He is the author of “Dignity & Decency: Rhapsodic Musings of Modern Anarchist,” and a writer for counter-governance. He has worked in the cryptocurrency industry for 10 years, and in the parallel society space for 3.
Rafal Przemyslaw – Executive Vice President: Rafal is a proven leader with over 15 years of experience in planning, designing, and deploying various management strategies in Central and South Asia and Africa while providing broad-based perspectives derived through experiences with various aid and development organizations.
E. Suzanne Steele – Chief of Operations: Suzanne is the Chief of Operations at Polis Labs. She has been involved in multi-faceted projects internationally for the past 20 years involving various roles in support of local governance initiatives in South and Central Asia, East Africa, and the Middle East.
Cecilia L – Chief Coordination Officer: Cecilia L is an accomplished leader with a strong focus on effective coordination and collaboration. As the Chief Coordination Officer at Polis Labs, she leverages her extensive experience in fostering partnerships and aligning diverse stakeholders to drive impactful initiatives for network states and charter cities.
advisory board includes Michel Bauwens
michel bauwens et al
more on sterlin via google:
Sterlin Lujan is a prominent crypto-anarchist author, speaker, and community organizer who leads community-building and grassroots activism for the Logos Network. In this role, he heavily spearheads the development of Logos Circles, which serve as the physical, local chapters of the decentralized Logos ecosystem.
What are Logos Circles?
Logos Circles are self-organizing local groups designed to revitalize civil society through grassroots action. Rather than just acting as ideological discussion clubs, these chapters are structured to execute localized, practical projects.
- The Core Focus: They focus on tackling “winnable issues”—specific, actionable, and hyper-local problems such as local fundraising, environmental cleanups, or civic advocacy.
- The Philosophy: The initiative is built on cypherpunk values, voluntary governance, and parallel institutions. They aim to give communities the tools to solve their own problems independently of traditional state infrastructure.
- The Tech Connection: Circles serve as the social layer for the broader Logos tech stack, which includes decentralized, privacy-focused protocols like Nomos (consensus), Codex (storage), and Waku (messaging) to help lay the groundwork for sovereign “network states”.
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be you. 