Whedon’s authorial statement being that Sunnydale got what it deserved is only true if one accepts your initial contention that institutions reflect the traits of those who live under them. This is precisely what I was trying to argue against by pointing out that for many societies past and present this isn’t true, ie when democracy either doesn’t exist or doesn’t function. All that we see of Sunnydale’s electoral process is that Mayor Wilkins is able to get into power by keeping promises to unspeakable demons rather than to human voters. As to whether the Author is hostile to all collectives both the health and education services appear to function in terms of containing diseases and producing graduates while Doublemeat Palace goes so far as to exonerate its faux McCorporation and blame the consumer for worker attrition.

Genrewise Buffy is, amongst other things, a bildungsroman, its growing up and becoming independent theme would be rather undercut if some big benevolent institution were to sweep in and save every day, it would read like a parental metaphor. Now that process is completed and adult Buffy fully involved in running slayer.org I *would* be concerned if the story turns out to one of her inevitable corruption by institutional influence.