I'm glad that someone mentioned that fact that automats (at least some of the time) had an actual kitchen, and didn't just offer pre-made, plastic wrapped sandwiches and such (which reminds me of an episode of Barney Miller," but I can't think one--maybe there were several episodes).

At any rate, this was a revelation to me, as I had never (and still haven't) been to one. I also can't recall (Note to self: stock up on ginkgo biloba) the movie where I first saw this. This is perhaps relevant because I have the idea that is was some science fictiony B-movie where the leading lady worked in the back of an automat, and as she was after the leading man--who often had lunch there--she would have her co-worker cover for her. This provided several scenes showing back of the house operations. It can't say much for the movie that this is the only thing that sticks in my mind, but anyway....

I'm glad that someone mentioned that fact that automats (at least some of the time) had an actual kitchen, and didn't just offer pre-made, plastic wrapped sandwiches and such (which reminds me of an episode of Barney Miller," but I can't think one--maybe there were several episodes).

At any rate, this was a revelation to me, as I had never (and still haven't) been to one. I also can't recall (Note to self: stock up on ginkgo biloba) the movie where I first saw this. This is perhaps relevant because I have the idea that is was some science fictiony B-movie where the leading lady worked in the back of an automat, and as she was after the leading man--who often had lunch there--she would have her co-worker cover for her. This provided several scenes showing back of the house operations. It can't say much for the movie that this is the only thing that sticks in my mind, but anyway....

A good book on a similar topic (I haven't read "Swarm Theory") is Steven H. Strogatz' "Sync: How order Emerges from Chaos in the Universe, Nature and Daily Life."

I would only add that the requirement for a "top-down" seems too much like the statments put forward by the Intelligent Creation crowd.