Non-Zero-Sum James
Non-Zero-Sum James
A podcast where I read my blog to you, and chit-chat a little.
I'm Non-Zero-Sum James, your companion on this exploration of win-win games and how they are essential for a better future. I've been writing here at nonzerosum.games for a couple of years now, and decided it was finally time to reproduce the content in the form in which I usually consume media, audio. So, playing catch-up, every couple of days I'll be reading from the blog, exploring a new aspect of game theory, moral philosophy, ethical economics and AI—looking for solutions to the complex problems we face in our world together.
I'm Non-Zero-Sum James, your companion on this exploration of win-win games and how they are essential for a better future. I've been writing here at nonzerosum.games for a couple of years now, and decided it was finally time to reproduce the content in the form in which I usually consume media, audio. So, playing catch-up, every couple of days I'll be reading from the blog, exploring a new aspect of game theory, moral philosophy, ethical economics and AI—looking for solutions to the complex problems we face in our world together.
Episodes
Mentioned books
Oct 6, 2025 • 9min
Paine on Economic Justice
The system didn't and doesn't need to be this way. | For the original post visit: https://nonzerosum.games/painejustice.html
Oct 2, 2025 • 9min
Rights & Liberties—are opposites
I'm always trying to picture in my mind what sort of society I want to live in. To do this is to balancing the freedoms I'm willing to forego in order to provide rights that we determine to be essential to a healthy society. | This week's episode explores the new way of looking at Rights & Liberties, as a way of codifying this process, rather being used as vaguely interchangeable terms. | For the original post and references visit: https://nonzerosum.games/rightsandliberties.html
Sep 26, 2025 • 6min
Why People in Poverty Make Poor Decisions
In this episode we make the case for giving money to people who are bad with money! | For the original post and links visit: https://nonzerosum.games/poverty.html
Sep 6, 2025 • 11min
Saving Lives Reduces Overpopulation
I will be making the case that somewhat counter-intuitively, by saving lives we actually reduce over-population. | For the full post and references: https://nonzerosum.games/savinglives.html
Aug 29, 2025 • 14min
Effortocracy ~ I've had meritocracy all wrong
've been wrong about the meaning of Meritocracy, and for good reason, there are many different definitions—the term has been used as a pejorative, as an aspirational term, as a definition of a government, and as a general way of allocating credit to individuals. But I understood it as this: A society where a person's rewards reflect their efforts (merit) | For links, pictures and references check out the original post here: https://nonzerosum.games/effortocracy.html
Aug 23, 2025 • 9min
Saidi, My Friend
This episode begins a series on luck and circumstances, and asks "What do we owe to each other?" | For the original post and links visit: https://nonzerosum.games/saidi.html
Aug 19, 2025 • 11min
Goodhart's Law ~ the problem with singular goals
This is one of those ideas that constantly recurs in my mind throughout my day, one of those perspective-affecting mental models that helps me navigate the world, and hopefully will do the same for you. | For the full post and links: https://nonzerosum.games
Aug 16, 2025 • 16min
We Don't Just Let People Die ~ so what next?
A lot of politics out in the world appears to me at any rate to be based around a sort of kill-or-be-killed mentality, is if we live an the wild, and need to let nature sort the strong from the weak... but that's not the actual world we live in, so that political mentality is... well, nonsense.A rambling stream of consciousness about what to do in a society, like ours, when we, thankfully don't let citizens needlessly die. | For the full ramble, links and sources: https://nonzerosum.games/wedontletpeopledie.html
Aug 9, 2025 • 8min
Looking to the Future ~ a simple recycling idea: part 3
Let's take a look through our crystal ball at Glass Bottle Utopia. What are the problems, and who's solving them? | For the original article, links and pictures visit: https://nonzerosum.games/betterrecycling3.html
Aug 4, 2025 • 5min
Putting it on Plastic
In part 2 of our series on recycling we look into the problems with plastic recycling and the importance of disincentivising the use of plastics. | For the original article, including useful links and references visit: https://nonzerosum.games/betterrecycling2.html
