Game Theory, The Hostage Dilemma, and the "can't win" meme:

[VoluntaryMan]

As I understand it, Game Theory's Hostage Dilemma causes individuals to conform to a group mentality, by subjugating the human survival (fight/flight) impulse to the feared/expected behavior of the peer group. The epitome of this mindset would be a man seizing control of a passenger aircraft, using no more than a box-cutter and a threat to hold 70 people at bay, while he crashes the plane into a skyscraper, killing thousands. No one acts, out of fear of acting alone. The hostage dilemma is group cowardice. It is what is behind the "I will vote for x, because y can't win" meme. Don't let any of those cowardly sheep try to convince you otherwise.

 

[cheese]

preaching to the choir dude

 

[VoluntaryMan]

preaching to the choir dude

Sure, but I was hoping that, by putting a name to it, everyone would be in a better position to counter it (or, at least, to call shameful attention to it), when confronted by it.

BTW, I love that video in your signature. Did you do that?

 

[dblee]

thanks, i leveled up from this post.

 

[VoluntaryMan]

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