Why Open?
A publication about cybernetic systems should embody cybernetic principles. That means:
- Continuous integration of feedback — Ideas evolve as people test, critique, and extend them.
- Auditable process — Changes are versioned, attributable, and reviewable.
- Distributed contribution — Insight comes from edges, not just centers.
- Credit where due — Attribution is visible; influence is traceable.
This isn't open-source for its own sake. It's open because feedback systems work better when the loop is visible and participatory.
How to Engage
There's no single way to participate. Start where you are.
Read
Engage with the ideas. Let them sit. Notice where they resonate or friction appears. That noticing is the beginning of feedback.
Apply
Take a concept or pattern into your own context—your team, your organization, your community. See what happens when theory meets practice. The gap between intention and outcome is where learning lives.
Share
Contribute what you've learned. A field report, a case study, a counter-example, a question. Stories from practice are how the ideas stay grounded. You don't need to have succeeded—attempts and failures are signal too.
Build
Propose new patterns. Improve existing tools. Critique frameworks. Extend the thinking in directions we haven't considered. The project grows through contributions that challenge and expand it.
Contribution Paths
Everything lives in the open on GitHub. Choose the path that fits:
Essays & Ideas
The blog maintains an editorial voice, but guest perspectives are welcome. If you have a piece that fits the themes—cybernetics, feedback, governance, ethics of steering—reach out or open an issue to discuss.
Patterns & Tools
Reusable frameworks, checklists, templates, and reference implementations. These are designed to be forked and adapted. Contributions that make ideas actionable are especially valuable.
Stories & Field Reports
Applied the ideas somewhere? Document what happened. These don't need to be polished—rough notes from practice often teach more than refined theory.
Critique & Dissent
Disagreement is information. If something here is wrong, incomplete, or blind to its own assumptions, that feedback strengthens the whole. Open an issue or submit a counterpoint.
Get Started
The repository is at github.com/afomi/cyberfolk.
- Browse issues — See what's being discussed or where help is needed.
- Open an issue — Start a conversation, ask a question, or propose something.
- Submit a PR — Contribute directly to essays, patterns, or tools.
- Fork and adapt — Take what's useful and make it yours.
If GitHub isn't your medium, you can also reach out directly.
A Note on Feedback
Feedback is a gift, not an obligation. Contribute when you have something to offer. Silence is also data—it might mean the ideas are working, or it might mean they're not reaching the right people yet. Either way, the loop stays open.
Thank you for being part of this.