# Cooperation Lets Complex Systems Read and Adjust by Bryant McGill > “Control attempts to dictate every movement of a complex system. Cooperation sets direction, reads feedback, and adjusts. That approach allows intelligence beyond the self to participate in the result.” > **— Bryant McGill**, *Identity, Intention, and the Limits of Force - Livestream (Feb 2016)* ## Sources and Context - **Source:** [[livestreams/Identity, Intention, and the Limits of Force - Livestream|Identity, Intention, and the Limits of Force - Livestream]] — exact quotation from the developed livestream document. - **Conceptual context:** Participants act, observe consequences, exchange information, and adjust. The system can therefore incorporate local knowledge and changing conditions that no single controller can fully anticipate. ## Related Articles and Collections - **Collection:** [[collections/Simple Reminders|Simple Reminders]] - **Article:** [[articles/A Systems-Diagnostic Framework for Planetary-Scale Computation|A Systems-Diagnostic Framework for Planetary-Scale Computation]] - **Article:** [[articles/Participation as an Information-Causal Principle|Participation as an Information-Causal Principle]] - **Livestream:** [[livestreams/Identity, Intention, and the Limits of Force - Livestream|Identity, Intention, and the Limits of Force - Livestream]] ## Related Topics - [[wiki/Adaptive Coordination|Adaptive Coordination]] ## Share on Social Media ``` “Control attempts to dictate every movement of a complex system. Cooperation sets direction, reads feedback, and adjusts. That approach allows intelligence beyond the self to participate in the result.” — Bryant McGill, Identity, Intention, and the Limits of Force - Livestream (Feb 2016) https://bryantmcgill.com/simple-reminders-bryant-mcgill-cooperation-complex-systems-adjust ```