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
May 1, 2025 • 6min
4 Ways Moloch is Ruining Your Life
Molochian systems—they're insidious, they're ubiquitous, and they're messing with your life in ways you might not even realise. Today, we're diving into four key examples of these pesky systems that can turn self-interest into a collective nightmare: Listicles, Bargain Hunting, Tax Havens, and Late-Stage Capitalism. | Yuval Noah Harari on Gossip: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a-XGwOxtH9E | Donate to Unicef here: https://www.unicef.org/protection/child-labour | Join the discussion over on the blog: https://nonzerosum.games/manifestationsofmoloch.html
Apr 30, 2025 • 8min
Who is Moloch?
Moloch is a metaphor describing systems where individual rational decisions lead to collectively bad outcomes. This series explores how Moloch manifests, why it’s so hard to break free, and what strategies might help us escape these traps. | Links: | Read the illustrated post here: https://nonzerosum.games/whoismoloch.html | Liv Boeree's Beauty wars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fifVuhgvQQ8 | and The Media Wars: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PRz54V7rU4U | Allen Ginsberg's 'Howl': https://www.poetryfoundation.org/poems/49303/howl | Scott Alexander's 'Meditations on Moloch': https://slatestarcodex.com/2014/07/30/meditations-on-moloch/
Apr 28, 2025 • 6min
What are Non-Zero-Sum Games?
From the genetic lottery we're thrown into at birth, to the educational opportunities we navigate, the jobs we compete for, and the relationships we cultivate—every stage in life is marked by wins and losses, strategies and tactics, alliances, and competition. But not all games are zero-sum showdowns. To understand non-zero-sumness it helps to consider "sum" different types of games. | Learn more at the Game Theory Page (https://nonzerosum.games/gametheory.html)
Apr 25, 2025 • 6min
Non-Zero-Sum James
First episode, a bit about who, why and what. Read more at https://nonzerosum.games | Links:Modelling (a very old blog about my very short lived modelling “career”) https://prefrontallobotomy.blogspot.com/2009/06/im-model-you-know-what-i-mean.htmlRelative Value (if you just can’t wait for the podcast episode, you can read more here) https://nonzerosum.games/absolutevsrelative.html | Subscribe here: https://nonzerosum.games/subscribe.html
