Once, Norton and I visited a Guoker biologist named Ivanson, who shared Norton's physique. Ivanson appeared mature, with sharp eyes and an intelligent demeanor. He was not only Norton's colleague but also more renowned and essentially their leader.
Upon meeting me, Ivanson extended a warm greeting: "Welcome, Brother Qian, from Earth. We, including Norton, Willie, and Suldair, are all members of the 'Studying Earth People Tribe' on the GIW. We often discuss Earthlings and look forward to exchanging ideas with you."
Curious, I asked, "How many countries exist on Guoker Planet?"
"There is only one country; the entire planet is unified under a single nation," Ivanson responded.
"And who is the supreme leader here on Guoker Planet?"
"We don't have a supreme leader," he replied.
"You don't have a supreme leader? That's hard to imagine. Even the underworld on Earth has its bosses. When I first stepped onto Guoker, I half-expected some high official might welcome me. No wonder there was none."
Ivanson clarified, "Strictly speaking, our supreme leader is virtual, residing on the Global Information Web as the 'Union of GIW Protocol Algorithms.' I lead the Guoker Biology Research Tribe, so my authority is specifically in biological research. Our leadership is essentially an agreed-upon set of algorithms on the GIW, continuously evolving and adapting. These are not individuals but a form of artificial intelligence developed collaboratively by many people across different locations and times. In contrast, Earth's leaders are actual individuals, correct?"
I explained, "Earth's leadership structure is pyramid-shaped. Many countries are led by a president or chairman. Below them are governors, followed by county heads, then mayors or village heads, down to the ordinary citizens."
Norton added, "Our entire planet is one country, and actually, Guoker is part of a planetary system that includes several dozen colonized planets, all governed by Guoker. Essentially, the Guoker system itself is a nation, without other countries within this system. Our highest authority is the GIW Algorithm Protocol Union, followed by tribe leaders on the GIW, and then the ordinary citizens."
Suldair chimed in, "I believe the real power lies with those controlling the GMW. Think about it: everything we do depends on GMW, which essentially controls the entirety of Guoker from behind the scenes."
Willie offered a different perspective, "In my view, it's the 'Pricing Algorithm Tribe Union' that holds more power. They determine how much wealth credits we earn for our actions, which, I believe, makes them more influential than those controlling the GMW."
Norton concluded, "Determining fair compensation for actions taken by the myriad of individuals on our planet, given the complexity and scale, is not something one person can manage. That's why the Information Network Algorithm Union was created as the first of its kind, establishing fair prices through cooperation and compromise. The 'Total Algorithm Union' that oversees all algorithm unions on the GIW effectively serves as the supreme leadership of Guoker Planet."
Suldair said: "Once I suspected that the Pricing Algorithm Union had miscalculated my wealth credits. I warned them, and threatened to report them to the GIW Supervision Union if they ignored me. They promptly apologized and adjusted my wealth credits. They didn't seem as powerful as I had thought."
He continued, pondering, "Perhaps those tribe unions that directly issue wealth credits are even more influential."
I expressed my confusion: "So it seems unclear who the supreme leader on Guoker Planet really is. Your leaders are merely algorithms within computers and networks; they aren't real people. How can you be content being governed by these virtual leaders? Your planet is so advanced; why would you accept a virtual leader?"
Ivanson explained, "The evolution of our virtual leaders was gradual, not decided in a single meeting. As the GIW and GMW developed, it became nearly impossible for individuals to accumulate wealth independently; they relied heavily on these systems. The GIW and GMW solve almost all our daily and economic problems, making the emergence of virtual leaders an inevitable outcome."
Ivanson then activated a virtual display, which illustrated numerous war scenes that seemed to hail from an era of cold weapons.
"Reflecting on our history, Guoker Planet once had many countries, much like Earth, and they often waged wars over resources and material wealth," Ivanson narrated. "Once the GIW and GMW were established, resources and material wealth became insignificant, practically free. With no need to fight over resources and with currency fully digitized, nations lost their power to issue money and thus their influence."
He added, "The GMW enables instantaneous global travel, diminishing the need for national borders that only hinder mobility and societal development. With the GMW also capable of preventing crimes anytime and anywhere, the traditional roles of nations—defending against invasions, fighting crime, and maintaining order—became obsolete. Eventually, nations on Guoker Planet faded away. As nations disappeared, so did national leaders, replaced gradually by the GIW Algorithm Protocol Union, which had emerged even before the dissolution of nations."
Curious, I ventured, "I might have a naive question, but don't laugh—how difficult is it for a Guoker to become a leader, or a tribe leader, as you call it?"
"It's quite challenging," Ivanson replied. "Firstly, you must choose a tribe that aligns with your expertise. For instance, if you're skilled in biology, you might join the 'Guoker Biology Research Tribe.' You'd regularly share your insights on the GIW, actively participate in various affairs, and after a long period, if your contributions significantly surpass those of the current leader—as measured by precise algorithms—and with the tribe's consent, you might replace them. However, leaders are not frequently replaced, and given our immortality, aspiring to be a leader requires immense patience."
Intrigued, I asked, "Could someone expedite their leadership by purchasing it, assuming they had sufficient wealth to sway tribe members?"
Suldair burst into laughter: "Ha-ha! That's a very Earthly approach—always excelling in bribery!"
Norton chimed in, "Buying leadership on Guoker Planet is highly improbable. Our basic needs are free, so there's minimal demand for money. Additionally, the GIW Supervision Union would quickly detect and thwart any attempts at bribery, making it nearly impossible to buy a leadership position."
"Ivanson, with the advent of the Internet on Earth, similar to our GIW, if Earthlings can decipher the essence of the field, you can establish a GMW. With GMW, Earthlings could instantly appear anywhere in the world. Eventually, nations will fade, and the Earth will unite as a single country," Ivanson explained. "Your earthly leaders will gradually be replaced by virtual leaders on the Internet. This is a trend in the evolution of universal civilizations—no advanced civilization can avoid this. The governance by virtual leaders on the Internet is inevitable for Earthlings; it just depends on how quickly you decipher the essence of the field."
"So, who is the most powerful on your planet?" I asked.
"The virtual leaders on the GIW are essentially artificially created intelligences. They are algorithms that control and dominate our planet. The real power lies with mathematicians—the creators and holders of these algorithms. They undeniably control our planet," Ivanson stated.
"What about physicists? Isn't physics important?" I queried.
"Physics is crucial as it forms the foundation of all sciences. However, at a certain point, physics naturally concludes its development. Once a civilization recognizes that the universe is composed of matter and the space surrounding it, with no third entity existing alongside, any further understanding becomes merely an observer's description of the motion of matter in space or the space around matter. That marks the end of physics; it expands no further than this plane, occasionally requiring minor corrections. But mathematics has no endpoint. In some respects, physics is merely a branch of mathematics, specifically one that describes motion," Ivanson responded.
"Mathematicians can be quite daunting. They form exclusive circles and control key resources. If you want to join their circle, you must decipher the entry codes they've established—these are various algorithms. Some of these algorithms are artificially designed by them, while others are naturally occurring but discovered by humans. Cracking these algorithms is incredibly challenging, and many geniuses struggle to gain access."