Thanks Pen for another insightful meditation. I am barely acquainted with game theory, so cannot comment intelligently on that topic until I’ve read more. I do appreciate that you tackle the great human struggle for meaning in your pieces. For me life’s greatest meaning now is in watching my grandchildren as they grow. There’s always a tinge of fear for them but also I feel the privilege of watching their silliness, their innocence and their unspoiled love for life. Would that we could all remain children.
You mentioned game theory and linked to an excellent Wikipedia page on the subject. While von Neumann is considered the father of modern, formal game theory, I see its roots in the medieval Mystery Plays. Cooperation between performer and audience was the point of the thing and it employed a rudimentary version of game theory. Group participation leveraged into not just a better outcome but a more fruitful journey toward that outcome. In this case, more fun and a great ending to the performance. I used to think of game theory as a benevolent approach that humanity would someday embrace in order to save our species. All we really have as humans is the journey. Shouldn't we WANT to work with others to make our journeys more fruitful? More mentoring? More caring? Alas, now when I think of game theory my mind goes to entities like Cambridge Analytica and I despair. CAN we humans be rational agents? Cambridge Analytica says no. And yet tomorrow morning the sun will certainly rise and I'll get up and try not to lose hope. The gift of sentience is both a burden and privilege. My wish is that we never tire of either.
What a beautiful, poignant comment. Rampant, repugnant capitalism doesn’t have a monopoly on game theory. If I believed differently I might give up. Thank you for being here.
My feeling on this is complex. On the one hand, our generation has been a terrible steward of bot civilization and the values that underpin it. But equally I’m not prepared to jump to the assumption that the next generation will be more enlightened, more humane, more resolved to work towards something better. They may do so for self-preservation of course. But this does preclude them from making a whole new set of fire problems, for which their grandchildren will blame them.
I think the self-flagellation of the Boomer generation is reflexive and hardly useful. Many of the Boomers fought to right wrongs in the Sixties and to create a less capitalistic society. They were young, naive and not especially dominant demographically. In the end the movement was suppressed in some ways and simply abandoned by others. New pressures arose and the Boomers became the caricatured Boomers of today.
I don’t buy the caricature. I don’t for a minute believe that this generation will be uniquely moral. They will simply have more powerful tools to change the world for good and bad.
In the end we are all human, so posed of the most illumining potential and the basest desires. This generation will succeed (or the next one) if the majority are raised in enlightened homes with clear values, unflagging support and steadfast love. I’m afraid the Western world has evolved to make that kind of parenting more and more difficult to achieve. And if there is a preponderance of children who grow into adult not fully formed, then the big overweening problems will perpetuate themselves. And wherever that leads, it won’t be towards enlightenment.
I read the most depressing statistic the other day. It came from a survey in which parents were asked, “Would you rather your children get good grades or be kind?”
Fully 75% opted for good grades. The lessons from this are endlessly unappealing.
Thanks Pen for another insightful meditation. I am barely acquainted with game theory, so cannot comment intelligently on that topic until I’ve read more. I do appreciate that you tackle the great human struggle for meaning in your pieces. For me life’s greatest meaning now is in watching my grandchildren as they grow. There’s always a tinge of fear for them but also I feel the privilege of watching their silliness, their innocence and their unspoiled love for life. Would that we could all remain children.
Eric,
I hope your grandchildren and their generation fix the world that us ancestors took for granted and greedily consumed.
Pen, Thanks for the welcome. I'm glad to be here.
You mentioned game theory and linked to an excellent Wikipedia page on the subject. While von Neumann is considered the father of modern, formal game theory, I see its roots in the medieval Mystery Plays. Cooperation between performer and audience was the point of the thing and it employed a rudimentary version of game theory. Group participation leveraged into not just a better outcome but a more fruitful journey toward that outcome. In this case, more fun and a great ending to the performance. I used to think of game theory as a benevolent approach that humanity would someday embrace in order to save our species. All we really have as humans is the journey. Shouldn't we WANT to work with others to make our journeys more fruitful? More mentoring? More caring? Alas, now when I think of game theory my mind goes to entities like Cambridge Analytica and I despair. CAN we humans be rational agents? Cambridge Analytica says no. And yet tomorrow morning the sun will certainly rise and I'll get up and try not to lose hope. The gift of sentience is both a burden and privilege. My wish is that we never tire of either.
What a beautiful, poignant comment. Rampant, repugnant capitalism doesn’t have a monopoly on game theory. If I believed differently I might give up. Thank you for being here.
My feeling on this is complex. On the one hand, our generation has been a terrible steward of bot civilization and the values that underpin it. But equally I’m not prepared to jump to the assumption that the next generation will be more enlightened, more humane, more resolved to work towards something better. They may do so for self-preservation of course. But this does preclude them from making a whole new set of fire problems, for which their grandchildren will blame them.
I think the self-flagellation of the Boomer generation is reflexive and hardly useful. Many of the Boomers fought to right wrongs in the Sixties and to create a less capitalistic society. They were young, naive and not especially dominant demographically. In the end the movement was suppressed in some ways and simply abandoned by others. New pressures arose and the Boomers became the caricatured Boomers of today.
I don’t buy the caricature. I don’t for a minute believe that this generation will be uniquely moral. They will simply have more powerful tools to change the world for good and bad.
In the end we are all human, so posed of the most illumining potential and the basest desires. This generation will succeed (or the next one) if the majority are raised in enlightened homes with clear values, unflagging support and steadfast love. I’m afraid the Western world has evolved to make that kind of parenting more and more difficult to achieve. And if there is a preponderance of children who grow into adult not fully formed, then the big overweening problems will perpetuate themselves. And wherever that leads, it won’t be towards enlightenment.
I read the most depressing statistic the other day. It came from a survey in which parents were asked, “Would you rather your children get good grades or be kind?”
Fully 75% opted for good grades. The lessons from this are endlessly unappealing.
Thanks again Pen. You do good work.
Kindness matters.