Non-Zero-Sum: The foolish, the smart, the wise and the fuzzy logic

2010 has been a tough year. We have witnessed the birth of a new hero or villain named Julian Assange (depending on who you talk to) Also this year has been the confirmation of Mark Zuckerberg as the new titan of personal data and the person of the year according to Times magazine (in this case also depends on who you talk to). A few days ago I have found a quote from Julian Assange where he compares himself to Mark Zuckerberg and that made me think about the Non-zero-sum and the Fuzzy Logic.

Bart Kosko through his book "The Fuzzy Future: From Society and Science to Heaven in a Chip" explains how fuzzy logic permeates the way we see the world.  "Information age is based on the binary units of information 1 and 0 or Yes and No. These on-off bits are the digital building blocks. […] Minds are not digital processors. Our concepts are fuzzy to the core and our reasoning is approximate. […] There is always a continuum of exceptions. We draw hard lines through fuzz to help manage the exceptions. This gives up accuracy for simplicity buy favors action over description. It lets us paint the world with the 1s and 0s of the digital age. The technique is quick and dirty but it often gets things done. […] The irony of the digital age is that things are fuzzier than ever. Fuzz grows as the bits pour in. […] Gray has become okay: It almost become cool. "

In a world where the future is fuzzy. I feel that the best way to keep the course is based on the Non-Zero-sum. Mathematical game theory also refers to win-win games as non-zero-sum games.
It has been theorized by Robert Wright in his book Nonzero: The Logic of Human Destiny, that society becomes increasingly non-zero-sum as it becomes more complex, specialized, and interdependent. As former US President Bill Clinton states: "The more complex societies get and the more complex the networks of interdependence within and beyond community and national borders get, the more people are forced in their own interests to find non-zero-sum solutions. That is, win–win solutions instead of win–lose solutions.... Because we find as our interdependence increases that, on the whole, we do better when other people do better as well — so we have to find ways that we can all win, we have to accommodate each other.... " Wired full interview.

I wish you all a Non-Zero-Sum Happy New Year!! Play Wisely!!

Sources: wikipedia; blog.hopeglory.com