I'm seeing a model-of-universe in which conscious agents appear in an unending stream - and then develop in sophistication, which implies that consciousness is nested, possibly fractal.
as an inhabitant of this system... if I arrange the systems I manage so that I am naturally *supported* by the energy exerted by new entrants as they "jostle", negotiating for their space in the system and optimizing their interface with the system, ... that's a valid way to exist, yeah? I arrange systems that are beneficial for participants, and ... oh, never mind, I just invented service. :D
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for context:
my brother and my dad are in a bit of a philosophical tussle: my dad has a "no free lunch" philosophy, in the sense that everything exists in balance, and to take without giving throws off the balance. my brother sees how organic systems negotiate wordlessly for resource, deriving utility from each other as needed. my dad sees my brother's perspective as irresponsible, for lack of conscious balance-making, trading in kind. my brother sees my dad's perspective as imprisoning, for lack of trust in the intelligence of systems to trade without currency.
and *I'm* over here, mulling this over, noticing that *subjectively* the universe kinda feels similar to a perpetual motion machine, in that a conscientious observer-participant stands to grow in the sophistication and scale/scope of their embedding in the whole as long as they're not a dick about it.