Thanks so much for finding this piece! It resonates with a little maxim I often refer to: “Everyone does better when everyone does better.”
I’ve long noted that the mass of humanity (at least in the West) is under the sway of the illusion that we continue to live in a prehistoric, zero-sum world of scarcity; one in which anything for anyone else potentially means “less for me” — resulting in relentless pressure to compete, win, control, dominate, and create hierarchies that reward the few beyond all need or reason while neglecting the many. If we can’t wake up from this, I’m afraid it may lead to our own extinction.
HOWEVER, rather then addressing the above with shame and blame and hand-wringing, I recently heard someone promoting a positive way to frame the need and opportunity: the “Positive Sum Game” - i.e. one where everyone benefits. When you stop to think about it, the majority of things that make life worth living are not things that deplete with sharing. In fact, many are enhanced by doing so.
I believe that is our only path forward if we are to survive and thrive.
On Jul 3, 2019 bmiller wrote:
Thanks so much for finding this piece! It resonates with a little maxim I often refer to: “Everyone does better when everyone does better.”
I’ve long noted that the mass of humanity (at least in the West) is under the sway of the illusion that we continue to live in a prehistoric, zero-sum world of scarcity; one in which anything for anyone else potentially means “less for me” — resulting in relentless pressure to compete, win, control, dominate, and create hierarchies that reward the few beyond all need or reason while neglecting the many. If we can’t wake up from this, I’m afraid it may lead to our own extinction.
HOWEVER, rather then addressing the above with shame and blame and hand-wringing, I recently heard someone promoting a positive way to frame the need and opportunity: the “Positive Sum Game” - i.e. one where everyone benefits. When you stop to think about it, the majority of things that make life worth living are not things that deplete with sharing. In fact, many are enhanced by doing so.
I believe that is our only path forward if we are to survive and thrive.