Cybernetics is defined as the science of communication and automatic control in both machines and living things. It has found applications in fields outside of science, engineering and medicine. These include management, economics and politics. This is hardly surprising, as it deals with analysing and designing processes for controlling the behavioural outcomes of complex systems.
Since most people are not systems or communication engineers, an explanatory introduction would therefore be helpful. It should be pointed out however that everyone would have, at least, a basic understanding of the fundamentals of communications and, in fact, do interact with a variety of systems on a daily basis.
So what is a system? Simply put, it is a collection of components and or subcomponents (people and machines) connected so as to achieve specific outcomes or goals. An automobile is a system as its components are assembled for the purpose of transporting people and or items in a safe fashion.
A country's roadways, drainage, traffic lights, regulations, laws and police also comprise a system.In fact, all countries consist of a number of systems (economic, legal, political, banking, education etc) that interact and impact on each other. All consist of people, machines, infrastructure (physical and informational) and rules.
Politicians, in essence, are the ones who are at the helm of the country and thus steer its destiny. The word cybernetics is derived from the Greek word meaning to "steer." One may assume, therefore, that an appreciation and understanding of cybernetics can certainly play a role in effective management and governance.
The interconnectivity arising of the ubiquitous nature of ICT, the Internet, Facebook and Google has resulted in an ever-tightening embrace of man and technology.One upshot of this is the facilitation of the control of communities, on a global basis, as information can be literally spread throughout the world almost instantaneously.
The result of this is that achieving a particular outcome has become easier, as all elements of the system are connected through e-mail, skype, Facebook, WhatsApp, etc, and thus are in the desired state for manipulation/control.Ironically, the country that has probably played the greatest role in the development and spread of ICT, is the one often on the receiving end.
The negative image of and the hatred for the so-called "Great Satan," from certain quarters, is evidence of the efficacy and effectiveness of basic cybernetics. The conflicts in the Middle East has shown that the control of information (visual and verbal etc) is just as or even more important than the traditional measures of victory. These days, the perceived victors are the ones who won the information war, through the better use of media, social and otherwise.
The digital interconnectivity, the lightning pace and ever-increasing volume/bandwidth of data have also resulted in systems having a far faster response time. In the good old days politicians relied on radio, television and newspapers to get their message out to the masses. But penetration of the public by these traditional media is not now at the same level. However, that of the social media is quite high and more effective as specific segments of the population can be targeted with the desired messages.
President Obama's victory in his first term was partly attributed to the effective use of social media. It was recently reported that Senator Hillary Clinton has obtained the services of a senior Google executive to join her campaign team.
The flow of information is essential for the control of any system. Political systems do not provide an exception. It would certainly make political commentary insightful and interesting if political commentators were to also have an understanding of the elements of cybernetics.