Interesting that you brought up natural selection, since arguably countries do have some sort of natural selection, but it's fairly limited since they are restricted to some geographic area limiting the competition to neighbouring countries (at least until recently).
However the same restriction don't apply to corporations, and indeed those are heavily competing over their means of existence (money). Which gives an interesting perspective to the current tendency of large corporations to improve their own chances of survival by dodging taxes, influencing politics etc. In some sense it does seem like corporations have become 'intelligent' and are attempting to change their environment to suit them. I'm not too sure what the end result will be, but I fear it's unlikely to be beneficial to humans.
To stop this we may have to, as you say, kill "God".
The claims about the U.S. should be able to apply to a corporation even better given the tighter organization, more clear intent, and how they collectively more in same direction more. Maybe he should write a paper on them. They're even legally classified as persons. ;)
I like the idea, though with corporations it's clear where the intentionality comes from: the CEO, the board, etc. It doesn't seem to "emerge" as much from lower level entities à la neurons. Not that that invalidates a group-level consciousness of course...
I would actually be fairly surprised if there weren't some neuronal mechanic that regulates and reinforces group thinking. I have my doubts that it is entirely the individual consciously observed and consciously declared will that constructs collective direction. Even little tweaks ... 'is this idea going to go over tomorrow in meeting, nah, better do this instead'. There is so much thought that goes on that is regulated partially by how happy one feels, how validated and accepted one feels. It doesn't necessarily mean it is in the best interests for the company, the country, or the individual. It just what they choose to accept as most likely true at the time of having to make an assumption about the way things are, and what that means for how one can direct oneself.
However the same restriction don't apply to corporations, and indeed those are heavily competing over their means of existence (money). Which gives an interesting perspective to the current tendency of large corporations to improve their own chances of survival by dodging taxes, influencing politics etc. In some sense it does seem like corporations have become 'intelligent' and are attempting to change their environment to suit them. I'm not too sure what the end result will be, but I fear it's unlikely to be beneficial to humans.
To stop this we may have to, as you say, kill "God".