Flows and Blockages in Information Systems

The Tao flows naturally, moving around obstacles and finding paths of least resistance. In information systems, activists can analyze where knowledge naturally wants to flow but is artificially blocked by paywalls, proprietary formats, surveillance infrastructure, or algorithmic curation. Censorship and information monopolies create blockages that destabilize the system; restoration of flow becomes the activist goal. This might involve creating mirror sites for censored content, building mesh networks that bypass central control points, or developing protocols that make information portable across platforms. Laozi teaches that force creates counter-force, but working with natural flows generates less resistance. Activists studying information systems through this lens identify the paths of least resistance—where people already want to share, learn, and organize—and remove the artificial barriers. Understanding technology as a system of flows and blockages, rather than as isolated features, reveals leverage points that modest interventions can shift dramatically.