Code flows like water
Between open and closed banks
Balance is the way
The contemporary technological landscape presents a fundamental philosophical tension between competing models of software creation and distribution. This tension between open and closed, free and proprietary, communal and corporate represents one of the defining ideological struggles of the digital era. The conflict transcends mere technical or business considerations, touching upon deeper questions about power, freedom, and the nature of creation in the 21st century.
This examination considers how Taoist principles of balance and harmony might inform a more ethical approach to software ecosystems, one that respects both innovation and user sovereignty while challenging the current concentration of digital power among a small number of corporate entities. The digital Tao flows toward openness, collaboration, and freedom—when technological choices align with these principles, they participate in creating a digital world that reflects higher values rather than baser commercial instincts.
The tension between open source and proprietary software represents more than just competing business models—it embodies fundamentally different philosophical worldviews regarding knowledge, power, and human collaboration. Eric Raymond's seminal dichotomy between the Cathedral (centralized, planned, proprietary) and the Bazaar (decentralized, emergent, open source) captures this essential divide.
"The master of the world knows when to stop at the boundary of nothing-doing. When you know when to stop, you can avoid any danger." — Tao Te Ching, Chapter 44
This ancient wisdom speaks to the importance of balance and knowing limits—principles that seem increasingly relevant in our current technological landscape dominated by platforms that know few boundaries.
The open source movement embodies the ancient philosophical ideal of the commons—the understanding that certain resources belong to all and should be managed collectively. It represents what might be termed the Tao of contribution: when multiple individuals work freely toward a common purpose, emergent properties arise that transcend what any single entity could create independently.
Proprietary software, in its ideal form, represents the philosophy of focused excellence and stewardship. It acknowledges that concentrated resources and directed effort can produce refined, reliable tools. The philosophical challenge emerges not from the proprietary model itself, but from its potential distortion into something predatory when divorced from ethical constraints.
Contemporary technology giants have established what might be philosophically understood as digital feudalism. Through sophisticated mechanisms of control, they have constructed ecosystems that increasingly resemble walled gardens rather than open platforms.
Vendor lock-in functions as a form of digital serfdom—when user data, workflows, and business processes become so entangled with a proprietary ecosystem that migration becomes economically prohibitive, digital sovereignty is effectively surrendered. The subscription model creates perpetual tribute relationships where users never own the tools they employ, establishing permanent power imbalances.
"The more prohibitions there are, the poorer the people become. The more sharp weapons there are, the more the realm is confused." — Tao Te Ching, Chapter 57
This describes perfectly the current state of digital restrictions and the arms race of user tracking and behavior manipulation.
The solution is not the complete elimination of proprietary software, but the restoration of balance. Just as in natural ecosystems, monocultures prove fragile and vulnerable, while diverse ecosystems demonstrate resilience and adaptability. A harmonious digital ecosystem would recognize appropriate domains for each approach.
Open source should form the foundation—the digital infrastructure, protocols, and core tools that enable all other creation. This constitutes the "digital commons" that ensures no single entity can control the basic means of digital production and communication. Proprietary solutions can then build upon this foundation, offering specialized tools and polished experiences where they provide genuine value beyond what the open ecosystem can deliver.
This perspective illuminates the philosophical importance of public investment in open source technologies. When public funds create digital infrastructure, the results should belong to the public. The principle of public money, public code represents not merely a practical consideration but a philosophical stance regarding the nature of collective investment and public goods.
National sovereignty in the digital age necessitates technological sovereignty. A nation that cannot control its own digital infrastructure resembles a house constructed on rented land—the landowner ultimately controls the dwelling. This reality makes government investment in open source both practically wise and philosophically consistent.
Freedom from foreign dependence means critical infrastructure should not depend on the commercial interests or political stability of other nations. The economic multiplier effect ensures that resources invested in open source circulate within local economies through customization, support, and training, rather than being extracted by foreign corporations.
Knowledge preservation becomes possible when open source code becomes part of the national knowledge commons, preserving expertise despite changes in vendors and technologies. Adaptive resilience emerges when open systems can be modified promptly without awaiting vendor roadmaps or negotiating license alterations.
The path forward requires neither complete rejection of proprietary software nor uncritical embrace of total openness. It demands a middle way that recognizes appropriate roles for each model while vigilantly guarding against excessive concentration of digital power.
"Knowing others is intelligence; knowing yourself is true wisdom. Mastering others is strength; mastering yourself is true power." — Tao Te Ching, Chapter 33
This wisdom applies perfectly to our technological choices. The companies that master users through addictive design and lock-in demonstrate one kind of power, but the true power lies in self-mastery—in building systems that respect user autonomy and foster genuine agency.
The tension between open and proprietary software models reflects deeper philosophical conflicts about creation, control, and community. The solution begins with recognizing technologies that respect user sovereignty, continues through collective action demanding better from institutions, and culminates in the philosophical understanding that digital tools should serve human flourishing rather than corporate dominance.
Like water flowing around obstacles, the digital Tao finds its way toward openness and freedom. Our technological choices can either align with this natural flow or work against it. Those that align create systems that are resilient, adaptive, and life-affirming. Those that work against it create brittle, controlling structures that eventually crumble under their own weight.
The balanced path recognizes that both open and proprietary models have their place, but insists that the foundation—the digital ground upon which we all stand—must remain open, accessible, and controlled by the many rather than the few. This is not just a technical or economic imperative, but a philosophical and ethical one.
On Digital Philosophy and Balance
This essay explores the philosophical dimensions of software creation and distribution through the lens of Taoist principles. It argues for a balanced approach that respects both innovation and user sovereignty.
The digital Tao represents the natural flow toward openness and collaboration, while acknowledging that specialized proprietary solutions have their place when they build upon rather than enclose the digital commons.