I see State Machines as being an artifact of modern times. Like Turing Machines, the Internet and Blockchains, State Machines were natural phenomenon (laws of nature) waiting to be discovered by man. Who knows what other powerful ideas lurk ou there for the creative individual to discover and develop? I find it comforting to know that there may be thousands or millions of potential Satoshi Yakamotos who exist or will be born in the future.