Wouldn't it be great if a nameless technocrat could force you to starve inside your home because they support the current thing and you don't? Oh, and they can both monitor and preach at you with drones. It's happening in Shanghai right now over COVID and a developing online hivemind is drooling at the prospect for the West. But is a hive inevitable? Meanwhile, a horrendous shooting in New York has grim implications for the public’s collective psyche, and Elon Musk is seemingly gearing up to buy a controlling share of Twitter. Is it too late to make a difference? Our editors discuss.