A game. The only winning move is not to play

5 points by robomartin ↗ HN
Amazing how this movie sums up so much with this observation, even today.

5 comments

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what movie?
War Games

At least that's what I'm guessing. The problem that the movie doesn't address is that sometimes you're forced to play.

Wargames, the film, referring to nuclear war between countries.

I literally watched it a few days ago ;)

Game theory only works in theory.

In symmetrical warfare, when you don't play, you face assured destruction. If you are playing, there is a chance that your counterparty will make a mistake or some unexpected externality will occur, and you will survive.

But this, of course, does not apply to the asymmetrical warfare that we are witnessing today. Here everything is much simpler and based on psychological, political, and economic externalities, rtaher than on the rationality or military power or weakness of the players.

Feels like schrodinger’s cat.