We only see a portion of this when one looks at the volume on the New York Stock Exchange. If conditions are favorable, stock positions can be unwound earlier. NO ONE panics. Only within the past two years have the underlying markets been liquid enought to make it really worthwhile. The problem with tightly coupled systems is that should a bad vibration start at one end of the machine, it will readiate and may cause difficulties in all parts of the system.
Loose coupling is frequently essential to keep a large structure from falling down.
I think this principle of mechanical engineering may be applicable to the way we use computers in the United States. An inquiry into the collision between a VIA passenger train and a Canadian National freight train near Hinton, Alberta last year, has put the blame on human error. The freight crew were said to have ignored various safety procedures. Also, Canadian National was accused of ignoring too many minor safety infractions and for letting crews work without sufficient rest periods between shifts. Computer error was not mentioned as a contributing factor.