Let's extend our game theory beyond zero-sum
the I-win-you-lose sorts of games
to more complex situations
in which all of the players could gain
or all of the players could lose.
Nash equilibrium, roughly defined as a stable state
in which no player can gain advantage
through a unilateral change of strategy
assuming the others do not change what they are doing.
Dr. Nash, is at a bar with three friends
and they are all enraptured
by a beautiful blond woman
who walks in with four brunette friends.
While his friends banter about which of them would
successfully woo the blonde, Dr. Nash concludes
they should do the opposite:
Ignore her.
If we all go for the blonde, he says,
bearing in mind diamonds are a girl's best friend
it's gonna cost us, we block each other and
not a single one of us is going to get her.
So then we go for her friends
but they will all give us the cold shoulder
because nobody, much less pretty brunettes
likes to be second choice.
But what if no one goes to the blonde?
We don't get in each other's way and
we don't insult the other girls.
That's the only way we win.