RE: FW: Research Shows Just How Much People Hate A Winner

From: Harvey Newstrom (mail@HarveyNewstrom.com)
Date: Thu Mar 21 2002 - 05:48:21 MST


> http://www.warwick.ac.uk/fac/soc/Economics/oswald/paris.pdf

This is ridiculous. I can't believe that people are taking this seriously.
The simulation was only a game. The object of the game is to "win" by
beating one's opponents. The rules of the game were so skewed that burning
was the only option that made sense. Nobody could win without burning
because burning was so cheap compared to the cost. Also, there was no
choice between earning one's own money and destroying the opponent. After
earning money, the option to burn was still there. There was no
disincentive to burn, and every incentive to do so. I am more amazed that
more people didn't burn, since that was the only way to win the game. This
doesn't prove that people hate winners any more than chess does when one
takes an opponent's piece off the board. That's not sabotage, that's simple
winning strategy as dictated by the rules.

--
Harvey Newstrom, CISSP <www.HarveyNewstrom.com>
Principal Security Consultant <www.Newstaff.com>


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