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The Science of Being Nice: What Game Theory Can Teach You About Life
Do no harm, but take no shit.
There’s a saying I love: ‘Be nice. ‘ Be forgiving. But don’t be a pushover.
It sounds like a therapist’s Instagram post. But it actually comes from research in game theory — specifically from Robert Axelrod’s work on the Prisoner’s Dilemma, a foundational concept in behavioral science and economics.
So what does any of this have to do with your real life? Your relationships? Your boundaries? Your work?
Everything.
The Prisoner’s Dilemma, But Make It Relatable
Let me bring you up to speed. The ‘Prisoner’s Dilemma’ is a classic example in game theory, which basically shows what happens when two people have the choice to either cooperate or betray one another. If both cooperate? They win. If one betrays and the other doesn’t? The betrayer wins big, the cooperator loses big. If both betray? They both lose — just not as badly.
The TLDR: Self-interest often leads to worse outcomes for everyone involved. But cooperation, when done wisely, wins.
Which brings me to Robert Axelrod.
