Why do people fight and manipulate others for power? Why do hierarchies continue to exist? Why do countries fight for control of the world? Most importantly, when we hurt others in the pursuit of power, how do we justify this to ourselves?
We can justify these aspects of the world to ourselves through a zero-sum mentality, especially when supporting the pursuit of power. This means what one person gains, another person loses. Could shifting towards a more positive-sum world, where mutual gains are possible, lead to a more peaceful and cooperative world?
Sometimes attributed to human nature, societal structure, or how our brains tick, we can pursue power for many reasons.
Historically, if our ancestors gained power, and rose to the top of their society, they had a greater chance of survival. They could have fought to find themselves in that position, and hence are physically the strongest. In these ancient societies, being cast out of the group left you isolated in a world with many predators. You likely wouldn’t last long. Power and probability of survival sat hand in hand.
Social structures and hierarchies exist to this day. We see in organisations, those at the peak of the company have the most power. Does their self-esteem, egos, and desires for control feel fuelled as a result? They certainly gain the most wealth and recognition, and so could fight to further improve their social standing. Power and probability of social survival still sit hand in hand today.
Some people, based on their upbringing and environment, are greedy and selfish. As a result, they pursue personal gain and power regardless of the negative impacts on others. This is often demonstrated by placing a high value on material possessions and wealth above personal relationships. This can promote a sense of narcissism and it can be easier to hurt others.
Sometimes, we can even convince ourselves that what we’re doing in our pursuit of power is worthwhile if it supports a certain cause or ideology. We can rationalise this as necessary.
If we’re at the top of the hierarchy, we don’t want to lose this position. We can cast aside cognitive dissonance, ignoring the discomfort felt when our behaviours don’t align with what we believe. Or we can convince ourselves that moral ethics don’t apply to us.
Look at the United States during its unipolar period after the collapse of the Soviet Union. They continued to pursue power, expanding military bases and patrolling the global oceans. They pushed on for power because it supported their ideology.
On the flip side, take China which suffered through its Century of Humiliation. This period of weakness and scarcity acts as a motivation to avoid this type of deprivation in the future. This could lead to greed, selfishness, and ruthlessness. Those at the top of the hierarchy wish to remain there, and those who have fallen down the hierarchy dream of one day rising to the top of the mountain once again.
It’s a consequence of societal hierarchies today that we believe that consumerism and material success paint a picture to others that we’re better than them. This reinforces our narcissistic natures, and we pursue more wealth and power. We believe the world is zero-sum, and that the gain of one person is the loss of another. Hence, we hoard and hoard.
I believe that the world can be positive-sum. My gain can be your gain, and the size of the pie can continuously grow. Economic development certainly supports this. Countries like China, India, and Bangladesh have brought large proportions of their populations out of poverty in a few decades, and this should be celebrated. These countries have then produced goods for the global market, which can unfortunately reinforce these trends of consumerism and material success. Hence, it’s our individual choice if we sign up for this pointless pursuit of power through consumerism, but the process has allowed these nations to pave a better future for themselves, and that should be celebrated.
Economics is certainly a positive sum game. As these countries develop, they innovate, manufacture, and produce more energy. The world can then benefit from the increased quality of life within these countries. Everyone is the better for economic development.
Where we’re faltering is our belief that relations between countries are zero-sum. This transfers to the people within those countries. We’re filled with fear that those who are different from us will take what we have. It’s a scarcity mentality, especially when it comes to resources such as food, water, land, and wealth. Back in the hunter-gatherer days, this attitude was justified. The fact that it still exists today begs the question, is the attitude still justified? I’d argue not.
A lot is working against us. The media sensationalises and aggravates these issues, painting a picture of a zero-sum world. Sure, some aspects of the world are indeed zero-sum. Some resources are scarce, and managing these disputes is a zero-sum game. We can’t ignore geopolitical realities.
We also can’t leave ourselves defenceless. Building reserves of resources could be seen as zero-sum, or hoarding, but if we pursue increased supply to satisfy demand, we’ll reduce the chance of conflict. We also need to continue to maintain defensive capabilities, Otherwise, bad actors could take advantage of an effort to reduce arms or demilitarize, for example. Aspects of our world, such as not pursuing an increased supply of scarce resources, are supporting elements of our world that are indeed zero-sum. We need to be aware of these issues and work to address these problems.
But, believing the entire world is zero-sum leads to unnecessary conflict and limits cooperation. Having some hope, and believing that the pie isn’t fixed, but is growing, promotes cooperation and mutual benefits for all. Adopting this belief could even be enough to influence us to reduce our inclination to fight. The world is so much bigger than the bubble in which we individually exist.
Anyway, what can we truly control? Our decisions, our actions, and our responses. What we can’t control is the actions of others or the future. But if we shift our mindsets to that of a positive-sum world, we increase our cooperation when it comes to addressing aspects of our world that are zero-sum. This sounds like a nicer place to live, right?
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Great piece! It is something we all should be reading to understand how and where we are today.