i've always liked the "small, interconnected collectives" analogy when discussing the #Fediverse. each instance uses a different set of governance (server software) with a common language (#ActivityPub). each one has social norms derived from the greater Fediverse. those that disobey, are scorned until, hopefully, they leave everyone alone. probably not the only way to describe it, but it works for me. pretty wild when you think about it.