The Society of Control operates through constantly modulating networks which are interconnected by countless channels & circuits. A nice metaphor for the quasi-living structure that generates the Book of Life would be squids and jellyfish.

…Perhaps the Economist should have chosen something besides squid to represent the four largest tech companies. The Turritopsis dohrnii, or “immortal jellyfish,” which is able to revert back and forth between its “youth” and its “mature” state to stave off death, might be a more apt comparison.

According to a New York Times report on the jellyfish, a leading expert theorizes that the secret to its longevity lies in its tentacles. When applied to technology companies, these “tentacles” could represent a core product, like Apple’s iTunes or Google’s search tools. RIM, Nokia, and Microsoft currently find themselves without tentacles, and are rushing to replace the lost limb before it’s too late…

Read the whole thing @ The squid and the jellyfish: Why Nokia, RIM, and Microsoft got the Economist cover snub.