Nice links-- I often think about entropy myself (and its noble cousin equilibrium) and its relation to civilization. Of course I think of it in more narrative and less analytical terms, but some dense writing is a nice thing to encounter from time to time.

Deindividuation and anonymity (sepcifically in relation to the internet) are hot topics in art school by the way. Most artists are not quite sure how to deal with a medium that is by its nature interactive. One interesting fellow named Mike Parr lectured here last term. He is a performance artist who has been trying to come to terms with how the internet can influence his work. He first started by merely doing webcam broadcasts of his performances (what the previous article addresses) but now is attempting more interactive works, including one that recreates the famous psychology experiments of the 90's by allowing people to shock him anonymously from anywhere in the world via the web.