My grandfather’s Easter egg hunt involved hiding money in plastic eggs around his house. My cousin and I took the hunt seriously, competing to find the one with a $100 bill.
Over time, I grew frustrated with always losing to my cousin. I told my grandfather it wasn’t fair. His response was that life is unfair and you either win or lose.
This atakawaol circle of thought that life is a battle over limited rewards where gains for one person means losses for another has become more widespread. It shows up in how we view college admissions and in games like “Squid Game”. Politicians and business leaders often talk about winner-take-all competition.
The idea is not limited to the US. World leaders like Putin and Xi view international relations in a zero-sum way, where stronger powers do what they want at the expense of weaker ones. In the past, international relationships were built on the idea of working together for the benefit of all. This led to economic growth and treaties.
But now, the mindset that life is a competition has increased around the world. People now seem to reject the idea of cooperation and abundance. This is shown in the rise of nationalism and protectionism.
This kind of thinking made sense to our ancestors who had to fight for limited resources. But now, it’s not as useful. There are fewer situations where resources are truly limited. Have you ever seen two co-workers fighting for the same promotion? Even in sports, where competition is the goal, losing to a stronger team can build skills.
Yet, many people still see the world as cutthroat. They compete even when it’s not necessary. This kind of thinking comes from fear. It mistakenly sees potential partners as threats and closes you off to the benefits of working together.
Throughout history, a zero-sum view of the world has led to conflict and war. It’s been especially problematic when countries see gains for others as losses for themselves.
On the other hand, believing in the value of cooperation has made countries rich. The United States grew powerful by encouraging trade and innovation, not by fighting for limited resources.
However, the zero-sum mindset can also make people cautious. Some may avoid conflict because they don’t want to lose or cause pain.
What drives this belief in zero-sum results? Many people fear that if they don’t matter, they don’t exist. The US used to find its meaning in the idea of being a beacon for democracy and freedom. But now, many Americans are uncertain about their place in the world.
To change this, we must find a way to make meaning together. Zero-sum thinking fosters hostility and distrust. To make progress, we need to work together, not against each other.
Source: https://www.nytimes.com/2025/03/01/world/asia/trump-zero-sum-world.html
