Quote:
Originally Posted by jammies
What does it equal then? Are you saying that a group of hunters where the hunters are selfish magically get more prey than a group where they aren't selfish? How exactly does that work? Are the prey sensitive to attitude somehow?
|
I'm saying if they are all making decisions based on what helps them the most. Very rarely is all ten working in unison the best case scenario for all ten.
Maybe there are three big strong male hunters that know how to bring down big game. They'll branch off on their own. A fourth fat lazy guy eats whatever they leave behind. There's also three small women who are content to trap rabbits and eat berries. Two people are tall and slight, and can go fishing. And so on.
Now, if a wicked cold strike happens and only the fishers are getting food, they can barter for assets from the other hunters (labour for building a home, for instance).
The tie-in to our current conversation is that they are collectively better off deciding this on their own then having it mandated by a central planner that all ten must work together and all starve when the cold snap hits.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jammies
Selfishness does not promote cohesive group tactics.
|
I assume you work for a company. I also assume that the company has their own best interest at heart when they hired you, and you had your best interest when you took the job.
I also assume you both used this phenomenon for mutual advantage.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jammies
Imagine an army where every soldier hung back and let the other guy take all the risks - except there would BE no other guy, and they would all get their asses kicked.
|
ENLIGHTENED self interest has worked well for many armies for many centuries. Other than the clones vs. robots of Star Wars II, it's always relevant.
Quote:
Originally Posted by jammies
The idea that selfishness - or any other behaviour - is always appropriate is a great flaw in any ideology that purports such an idea to be true.
|
Always appropriate - No. But you're suggesting a level of selfishness akin to a reality show or other zero-sum scenario.
You're a bright guy jammies, I know that from previous posts. I highly doubt you don't understand the basic concepts of Adam Smith.