#010: Reciprocity is the norm, Squid Game Theory, Minecraft Freedom of Speech

Happy holiday season to one and all!

We are pleased to welcome you to this week's edition of Undiscovered, a newsletter with exclusive resources and insights expanding from the material found on our main site - becketu.com.

In this edition, we look at a lot of examples of game theory, how Minecraft is a vehicle for freedom of speech, and what to keep in mind if you happen to receive a gift this holiday season. Let's dive in:

Defense Against the Dark Arts

Harry Potter may or may not be watched copious amounts during this time of year, and what better way to start this edition than with ways to protect yourself against the 'dark arts'? The 'dark arts' we're referring to, is game theory.

It isn't just a tool for mischievous purposes! A recent article breaks down how game theory can be used to create trust and ensure cooperation between parties with common interests. You can find the article here.

Squid Game Theory

If you are interested in seeing game theory principles in action, look no further than the "Squid Game: The Challenge" reality show on Netflix. It displays brilliant tit for tat situations along with other psychological dilemmas.

I'm not the biggest fan of reality shows, but you could argue there are lessons to be learned by watching 500 people compete in a cutthroat competition for $4.8 million dollars. Check out a preview below:

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Animation vs Physics on YouTube

Physics can be hard to understand sometimes. Thankfully for us, there is Alan Becker. His stick figure animated video covering the essentials of physics is perfect for visual learners. It goes from the basics all the way to some pretty advanced concepts.

As of the time of this writing, the video has 11 million views in only 11 days(!) The top comment says, "Alan deserves an Oscar award" and has 28k likes. See the video for yourself below.

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Minecraft as a vehicle for freedom of speech

Did you know there's a massive library in Minecraft populated with uncensored articles, journals, and information from all over the world? It's accessible worldwide and offers a unique opportunity to people in censored countries to view uncensored texts.

I first became familiar with this initiative through this tweet from Massimo. You can find out more on the Uncensored Library website, and see what it looks like below:

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'Reciprocity is the norm'

With the holiday season upon us, gift giving and receiving will soon be in full swing. This is a fundamental gesture of kindness, but it also hints at a deeper human instinct we have. We tend to help those who have already (or will at some point in the future) help us.

We see this in examples like The Godfather, where Vito Corleone in the opening scene builds upon the law of reciprocity to build influence. Instead of accepting money from Amerigo Bonasera, he expects a favor in return for his help.

Another example can be found more humorously within the show, "The Big Bang Theory", where Sheldon explains how 'reciprocity is the norm' when it comes to gift giving. Remember this during the holiday season!

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Always wishing you the best,

JB