CAMS: How Societies Coordinate

Eight functional nodes — four metrics, three layers: Mythic, Interface, and Material

What this diagram shows

The eight CAMS nodes are organised into three ontological layers: Mythic (Archive, Lore), Interface (Helm, Stewards), and Material (Shield, Craft, Flow, Hands). Each node carries four state variables — Coherence, Capacity, Stress, Abstraction — whose balance determines node health V_i.

The coloured arrows show the four inter-layer flow types through which bond strength B_ij is transmitted. Societal health depends on all three layers remaining coupled. When cross-layer bonds weaken (low Λ), coordination fails.

Flow types

Mythic — legitimacy & memory

Interface — policy & authority

Material — production & distribution

Stress — strain propagation

Core circuits

R1 Mythic loop: Archive → Lore → Helm → Archive
Legitimacy reinforces executive authority; Helm orders are recorded and become precedent
R2 Interface loop: Helm ↔ Stewards, Shield as enforcement arm
Policy aligns with asset-holding class; coercive capacity is funded and directed by Helm
R3 Material loop: Hands → Craft → Flow → Hands
Labour produces, skill refines, trade distributes, and supply sustains the labour base
B1 Stress path: Material strain → Stewards → Helm
Balancing loop: rising stress in Hands/Craft/Flow signals upward through the asset class to executive decision

Interpretation

This is a coordination map, not a collapse allegory. Stable societies maintain workable coupling across all three layers. Crisis (CPT) occurs when Mythic–Material bond strength Λ falls below 0.45 — the layers decouple and coordination fails.

Hover over nodes in a browser to see their full role descriptions.