This may be a little over the top for HAN, but I'm gonna ask anyway, because I honestly want to know what you think. I'm analyzing an international relations essay right now which debates whether the world is zero sum or not.


Zero sum theory: No truly positive result can come from any interaction. In order for any person or group to gain something, another person or group must lose something. Group A has a positive result, therefore group B must have a negative result of the same amount. Add them together... and you get a zero sum. Hence the name.

I dunno what I think of this. The theory that there really is no common good or universal benefit is kind of depressing, but at the same time... maybe it's true.

The essay argues that the world is zero sum because we think it is zero sum. If you think you have to take what you want to get what you want, you'll take, and if you think everyone else wants what you have, you'll be a paranoid bastard. Interesting concept.



If you didn' take the time to read that... have the maturity not to post.

 

how about public education? yes there are indeed problems within the system in urban areas, but lets just ignore that for now.

 

well some people think its a dog eat dog world. In order to survive something or someone needs to be given up. On the other hand maybe there are some people that give and don't mind. For example the peace corps....just throwing out ideas...but it's an interesting concept I briefly studied in college

 

wow thats deep,...if i was high,..i think reading that would have made me straight blackout :thumbup:

 

I'm not sure if that counts since it's a helping yourself sort of thing. I get these ideas of where it doesn't hold true but then I think about it some more and it is.

Well, peace corps you're talking about giving up time and resources to aid others. It's arguable that you get something back in the form of goodwill, appreciation and whatnot, but in realist theory that stuff is a load of :jerkit:.

Not that I agree, but that's how the theory goes.

 

gahh... zerosum game theory... i took an IR class a couple years back and remember this stuff...

if you think about it, the US and other capitalist countries are exploiting third world countries.. so, while the US and W.European countries prosper, there are just as many countries suffering the oppression of these huge countries... Multi-national corporations (MNC's) are totally exploiting the labor of these countries, and the govt's of these countries are complacent with their policies, in a way encouraging MNC's to come and open up factories on their land.

anyone up for some realist theory?

 

what about international trade? that's a type of transaction that can be mutually beneficial.

or are we speaking in more broad/theoretical terms?

 

now i know why i pursued a business degree

 

nothing is mutual :squint:

 

Paper's for my Advanced IR Seminar. 400 level.

This chapter is titled "Challenging the Realist Paradigm."

Personally, I think realist theory is a load of shit.