Re: The Silence of the Switched-Off Machine – Final Edition

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Jason Hu

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Jul 21, 2026, 7:59:55 PMJul 21

to l.lava...@sintesys.cl, Richards, Laurence D, Laurence D' via ASC conversations 'Richards, Nagi Yan, Igor Perko, Peter D Tuddenham, mic...@gwu.edu, Margaretha Hendrickx, Lucio Biggiero, Mark Johnson, Bernard Scott, Fred Steier, Gerald R Midgley, Norma Romm, alexander.n...@gmail.com, Yiannis Laouris, moki...@yandex.ru, Ste Serse, ben sweeting, Sebastian Context Collective, john.b...@beckfordconsulting.com, fis, cyb...@googlegroups.com

Dear Leonardo,

Thanks for your invitation to discuss. Here is my response. I met Beer in 2001 at a big conference in Vienna. I have, coming from an officially socialist country (CCP China), a different opinion, even though Beer's VSM has been very dominant in my school studies and Beer spoke like a guru in ASC conferences. So, count me as a "dissident." I have attached a paper from more than 20 years ago, which might, from a different angle, explain why Cybersyn had a fate to fail. I'm curious to hear your views.

Also, it might be helpful if we use some AI help to stage a virtual discussion of Stafford Beer meeting with Ludwig von Mises, Friedrich Hayek, and Karl Popper in the same room?

Best regards, Jason

On Tue, Jul 21, 2026 at 3:56 PM <l.lava...@sintesys.cl> wrote:

Dear members,
It is a pleasure to share with you the final edition of my novel, The Silence of the Switched-Off Machine: Allende and the Lost Cybernetics.
Although presented as a work of fiction, the novel is deeply rooted in the history of Project Cybersyn and in the extraordinary intellectual legacy of Stafford Beer. It is my tribute to his centenary and to a vision of cybernetics that sought not merely to optimize systems, but to strengthen democracy, participation, and human dignity.
Over the years, I have had the privilege of working within the cybernetics community, and this book is, in many ways, an expression of that continuing dialogue. I hope it offers both an engaging story and an invitation to reflect on the enduring relevance of cybernetic thinking in the challenges we face today.
I would be delighted if you found the time to read it, and I would be grateful for any thoughts or comments you may wish to share.
Thank you for keeping Stafford Beer’s intellectual legacy alive and for continuing to cultivate the spirit of inquiry that has inspired so many of us.
With warm regards,

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