systems disintegrate

The light does not know
what we need

the light sinks down trying
to build a center in the world

the world doesn’t need a center
the grass holds it together
at the edges the tips reaching
for the wind the roots
strangling the light

Why do large systems disintegrate? The process seems to occur in three steps, the first two of which are controllable and the third of which is a direct result of our homomorphism.

First, the realization by the initial designers that the system will be large, together with certain pressures in their organization, make irresistible the temptation to assign too many people to a design effort.
Second, application of the conventional wisdom of management to a large design organization causes its communication structure to disintegrate.
Third, the homomorphism insures that the structure of the system will reflect the disintegration which has occurred in the design organization.