For the past six or so years, an idea has been occupying my mind space. This idea, which is probably not new and has been hinted at in popular culture, is collective governance. This combination of words suggests that trusting a community of individuals would better distribute the effort and resources. Our attention span, perspective, and the tempo of life all point to a need for change in how we govern.

The old idea that an individual can rule over millions of people and understand what they want does not work. We see politicians striving to stay relevant even when they are well past their prime, both physically and cognitively. There are 14,000-page spending bills that are never fully read, much less understood by anyone other than lawyers...