Game Theory and American Politics
I recently read this article on Bloomberg that discussed how game theory principles relate to the current political state in the US. This relates to class in a pretty obvious way: the article discusses various games similar to the ones we considered, namely the prisoner’s dilemma. The logic of the game is that both people have something to gain from betraying the other; that said, if both choose to betray, they lose more than they would be simply being betrayed. This game illustrates exactly what makes game theory so interesting: it is, at its core, a sort of logic puzzle, but it is also inherently tied to human behavior. Just because something is the logical choice does not mean it is the popular one.
I found this article’s discussion of the infinite trend of the prisoner’s dilemma to be fascinating. In finite-numbered scenarios, people tend to betray the other; however, if the game goes on infinitely, people stop betraying each other. The USA is like the latter: presumably, our country is going to be around for a while, so it can be compared to the infinite scenario. Using that game theory comparison, real conclusions about human behavior and best paths forward can be concluded: though it seems advisable short-term to betray each other, long-term it isn’t, and it often hurts our own party and “side” more than working together. Given how hot of a topic politics are at the moment, I really appreciated reading about the logic (or lack thereof) behind some of the decisions we make. In a world that feels very uncertain, game theory is the concreteness and rationality I needed.
Article: https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2017-09-08/a-game-theory-solution-for-a-fractured-america