Unfair Distribution & The Web of Meaning
Categories:
The previous blog post discussed a classic problem in game theory, the ultimatum game, and left an open question: how to avoid a situation where a minority holds the majority of capital, preventing the weak group from turning the tide.
First, does such a situation arise? The answer is yes, but many people fail to realize that this situation is so common that those who are treated unfairly often overlook the fact. In Brief History of Tomorrow, an example is given: “The ancient Egyptian pharaoh lies on a mat, living in a cool and luxurious palace, wearing golden sandals and a jewel‑encrusted robe, with a beautiful maid feeding him sweet grapes. Through an open window, he can see farmers working in the fields, wearing dirty rags, with the relentless sun overhead; coming home with a cucumber to eat is already a great happiness. Yet the farmers rarely rise up in rebellion.” It seems everyone takes this as a matter of course. Why?
Threats and promises often succeed in creating a stable class system and a network of popular cooperation, but the premise is that the masses believe they are following an inevitable natural law, or the will of a deity, rather than merely obeying another person.
The key is a heartfelt belief in certain rules; the meaning that a group believes in propels people forward. This is a web of meaning: everyone believes that what they do is meaningful, and the suffering and oppressed look forward to heaven after death; the present unfairness thus acquires its own meaning. Within this web of meaning, most people cannot escape it, even the winners who enjoy supreme wealth and honor; to obtain a sense of meaning, they also seek meaning for their actions. To satisfy the believers’ demands, meaningless sacrifices, boring prayers, awkward dances, and futile blessings are performed, and even those at the top must do things that go against their own wishes.
When everyone has found their own meaning, we can no longer start from ourselves and, from an observer’s perspective, declare something fair or unfair. What matters is that they need their own meaning.