We scale via institutions. As a Catholic I am not more than 3 steps to the Pope and 5-6 to any other Catholic in the world. The trick is creating software and tools that strengthen our existing governments and institutions while not being controlled by them. p2p networks tend to have a strong anti-institutional flavor that is well-motivated but unworkable. Our institutions, as corrupt as they are, do provide a framework for trust beyond the tribal scale. I'd be delighted to be able to create my own private key, but then be able to pop down to the courthouse to get my public key signed so I could vote, and pay taxes automatically but with software the people created and as such doesn't spy on me.