Tuesday, January 5, 2010

No Cheaters Here

Cheaters will continue to cheat so long as they feel it will benefit them to do so.
Non-cheaters will also continue to not cheat so long as they feel it will benefit them to do so.

Are there rules being broken? I think not. The system is the de-facto law. If a system allows something to be done then it will be. Setting up rules afterword to ameliorate the poor design is like mediaeval geocentric astronomers adding extra Ptolemaic epicycles to explain planetary retrogrades. Fiddley bits.

Systems that contain lots of fiddley bits, the subsequent rules, may also be set up on purpose for those in the know to use and those who don't in which to flounder. While making a rule that says "I always get to win," is deemed blatantly unfair, creating a system in which those who can utilise the system to advantage while in the letter of the law, is merely irksomely unfair. For the cheater, to live by rules means you are a chump. And they are right. Both because you are not smart enough to not follow the self-serving rules of others, and also because you are not wise enough to leave that game entirely for a mutualistic one.

The so called cheater lives by the application of the meta-rules of the game. The possibilities of the system, and not what is it 'supposed' to be. In nature, every niche is filled.

a) if I won't get caught
b) if the gain is great enough and the punishment unlikely
c) if any punishment is less than the potential gain
d) if I can weasel out legally or with plausible denial
e) if there is a time advantage before giving it back

The real truth about cheaters and non-cheaters is that they are playing inside different systems. In the Crocodile and Chicken systems, self-serving means at the cost of others. In the Monkey and Buddha systems, you can't 'cheat' and self-serving means mutualistic benefit to others.

There are no cheaters, only systems which allow exploitation.


Mr. Kingfisher

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