How to Get Along (or, The Games We Play)

There are three kinds of games people play, and every interaction we have can be understood as being one of these kinds of games.

1. Zero-Sum Games
2. Positive-Sum Games
3. Negative Sum Games

Sports, checkers, chess, Monopoly, poker — these are all zero-sum games. In order for there to be a winner, there has to be a loser. Everything ends up being balanced. The losers equal the winners. Even in multi-player games, the losers will have lost as much as the winner won. Poker is a great…