LessWrong (30+ Karma) Evolution & Freedom
Nov 26, 2025
The discussion challenges the idea that profit-maximization is the only rational financial strategy. It critiques economic Darwinism, arguing that markets don’t solely select for money-maximizing agents. Instead, they suggest markets support diverse business strategies, much like evolution fosters varied survival tactics. The narrator highlights how strange survival strategies emerge and how organisms can influence their own fitness. Ultimately, they advocate for a broader understanding of value beyond just money, celebrating freedom in both markets and evolution.
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Profit Isn't The Only Rational Value
- Profit maximization is not the唯一 rational way to use money and other values matter.
- Markets don't necessarily evolve pure money-maximizers because inner alignment is hard and selection weeds out losers not perfect winners.
Selection Prunes Losers, Not Perfect Winners
- Evolution and markets prune losers rather than build perfect maximizers, so agents often pursue proxies correlated with the target.
- Firms can persist with zero profit margin yet provide real value by serving customers and paying employees.
Low-Margin Industries Persist
- The airline industry historically generated near-zero or negative net profits across decades.
- Grocery stores and restaurants similarly illustrate viable low-margin businesses that still serve customers and persist.