rockinricky

Evolutionary Strategy, or: Irritating muse, random like a cold sore, and just as inconvenient

"It is possible to believe that all the past is but the beginning of a beginning, and that all that is and has been is but the twilight of the dawn. It is possible to believe that all that the human mind has ever accomplished is but the dream before the awakening... All this world is heavy with the promise of greater things, and a day will come, one day in the unending succession of days, when beings, beings who are now latent in our thoughts and hidden in our loins, shall stand upon this earth as one stands upon a footstool, and shall laugh and reach out their hands amidst the stars."
- H. G. Wells

The reason I used the term "Evolutionary Strategy" is because "tit-for-tat" typically refers to a type of competitive strategy where two people, or sides, cooperate and retaliate by mimicking the last move made. If the first party is initially cooperative, the second party is also cooperative; the same goes if the first party is non cooperative. If done correctly the outcome is equal.

Non reciprocation in tit-for-tat is called "defection" and is the same as cheating. For instance, say you and I don't trust one another (yea it's a stretch, but do your best) and you ask me to meet you somewhere. If I show up at the meeting place, and you stay home, or perhaps send in a drive by, then you just defected... Game over, you win; I'm either standing there alone, or a twitching, bloody mess on the pavement. If I show up and you show up as well, we are both on equal ground. Begin round two. Another example could be a couple living together. The falling in love part is over, and the couple begins on sharing their lives with one another. It becomes apparent weather the other is a cooperator or a defector. The relationship grows only with a series of co-operations that are significant enough to create a bond of trust. One partner leaving the other with a mortgage and a bunch of kids is a defection. Game over.

This could be similar to the golden rule, or "treat others as you would like to be treated."

If done correctly, without defection, tit-for-tat will always win. The catch however, is that neither party will ever gain ground on the other, the growth and decline are always reciprocal...hence evolutionary strategy.

I think that if this world did revolve on a "tit-for-tat-axis" There would be no wars, no need for government, and no need for moral indiscretion. It's really hard to always be reciprocal however, especially when you factor the ethics of trust, loyalty and personal ego...Unfortunate, isn't it?

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It is interesting to note that three of the four PHDs who developed a strategy more successful then tit-for-tat are from the same country, the fourth from the United States. They discovered the implementation of communication in regard to success.