Number 14 - Zero Sum Games

Is society a zero sum game?

I am convinced that deep down, whether they realize it or not, people can be divided to two camps: those that believe that life is a zero sum game and those who don't.

So lets begin with definitions. A zero sum game is any type of game where the total "points" accumulated by all players at any given time always add up to zero (or a constant number). The concept is very intuitive, its like a pizza! There is a specific amount of pieces per pizza and no matter how you divide them, they will always add up to one pizza (assuming nobody ate a slice 😉). To put it bluntly, there is only one way to "win" more and that is by having somebody else "lose" more. There is only one earth with so many resources after all and there is no efficient way to make more.

Non-zero sum games are thus the opposite. Depending on how the players of a game act, the total amount of points could also decrease or increase. Think for example of win-win deals or the famous prisoner's dilemma where the best action for a couple of friends detained by the police is not to rat each other out. A better example might be investments: giving your money to a big project, let's say the development of a new vaccine *could* both yield you amazing profits and give society something that could never else have been made.

So what do you say? What kind of person are you? Do you believe we are given the one pizza or could we perhaps be making more? 🧐

I would also let you guess my answer but I think it's rather obvious given my previous posts. 😉

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