> But why is there a "leader" to begin with? In swarms of birds the older birds do have some specific roles, but real "leaders" seem to me a brittle approach.

> But why is there a "leader" to begin with? In swarms of birds the older birds do have some specific roles, but real "leaders" seem to me a brittle approach. I agree, and it seems nature agrees. Anyone who think a leader is required should watch a flight of a thousand starlings maneuver adeptly without collisions, a swarm of bees or ants carry out their duties without any command hierarchy, or a modern government rob the people blind with nary a collision between the overwhelming number of redundant departments. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eakKfY5aHmY http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eakKfY5aHmY (starlings in flight)