...as in the ability of an institution to absorb feedback and make changes to better serve the people its supposed to serve (or so it claims)? Whether it's schools, the NHS, the benefits system, banks, public transport, prisons, the retail sector, entertainment or government itself, I'm struggling to think of a single example of an institution responding to the popular will over anything in my entire lifetime. You're supposed to accept what's shoddily provided and stfu unless they take it away or enshittify it further. Maybe it's just because the UK has been decline and/or active sabotage by the moneyed interests since I was born, but even thinking of possible historic examples, apparent govt responsivity and change only happened after mass revolt or the threat of it, and only then when there was a sector of the elite classes that would also benefit.

Call me a cynic, but I think institutions exist to serve themselves and 'twas ever thus. Any benefit to regular people is accidental and unrelated to the core purpose, which is always to strangle us with centralised control mechanisms and manage the transfer of wealth to the elites.

Surprisingly readable essay, though could have done with some concrete examples instead of keeping everything abstract, but I suppose that's academics for you...

cheers,
I