The Internet models much of the rest of industrial society

In this way, the Internet models much of the rest of industrial society: it teeters as close as it can to the precipice, veering away from collapse only when it truly needs to, and only when enough of us look over the edge and decide we don't really want to fall.

Источник: http://www.renesys.com/blog/2005/12/internetwide_nearcatastrophela.shtml