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So The Wire is a subtle endorsement of the 'game B' idea?
by suoduandao2 4y ago
So The Wire is a subtle endorsement of the 'game B' idea?
- ep103 4y agoNo, thinking outside the strict confines of one's own self-interest is not an idea limited to just one ideology, including that one.
- tsol 4y agoWhat is Game b? I looked it up and I'm both fascinated and confused. I wondered if you could tell me more about it.
- suoduandao2 4y agoI think it's on of those 'ask three proponents get five answers' things, but here's my take: Game b recognizes that much of the world is subject to coordination problems (more evocatively called 'Moloch traps' or 'Prisoner's dilemmas')[1]. Game b thinking also recognizes both that the best outcome for a competitor within the current system is less optimal than the default outcome for a participant in a better system, and that any attempt to reform the current system requires viability within it. Game a is therefore the game of being successful in the current imperfect system. Game b is the game of reforming it to make good outcomes easier for everyone to achieve. In some sense, Game b includes Game a, since staying viable in Game a is required to participate in Game b. But prioritizing Game b often leads to a different strategy for Game a than seeking maximum success in Game a. Like I said, that's my take and likely my take on a Tuesday morning alone - but I'd be happy to discuss it further with you if you're interested. [1]https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/ https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/