Comments on: What Institution Promotes the Highest Levels of “Trust, Fairness and Cooperation?” http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-institution-promotes-the-highest-levels-of-%e2%80%9ctrust-fairness-and-cooperation%e2%80%9d/ Health Care Policy and Reform Insights | NCPA Fri, 25 May 2012 16:47:21 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 By: Tom H. http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-institution-promotes-the-highest-levels-of-%e2%80%9ctrust-fairness-and-cooperation%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-56677 Tom H. Mon, 29 Mar 2010 20:22:59 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=9727#comment-56677 There is no question that there is a culture that surrounds markets and capitalism. But is it the institution that creates the culture or do people with the right genes (predisposition to a culture) create free markets? There is no question that there is a culture that surrounds markets and capitalism. But is it the institution that creates the culture or do people with the right genes (predisposition to a culture) create free markets?

]]> By: Virginia http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-institution-promotes-the-highest-levels-of-%e2%80%9ctrust-fairness-and-cooperation%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-56439 Virginia Fri, 26 Mar 2010 21:07:14 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=9727#comment-56439 I just finished reading Michael Shermer's Mind of the Market. It had a whole chapter about fairness and trust. There's a whole branch of biology that deals with reciprocity. They call it "altruism," but it's not altruism in the Ayn Rand sense. It's closer to sharing. It turns out that the traditional idea that capitalism causes us all to be greedy isn't true. In the long run, we're better off if we share. This "I scratch your back, you scratch mine" has been around for millions of years. And it almost always led to gains for individuals. The biggest issue in this sort of society is how to punish freeloaders. Capitalism has an excellent mechanism: don't pay them. Socialism has its own method: put them in charge. (Shermer didn't write that last part. Those are my own conclusions.) http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71nsZABqoi8 Here's Shermer's Googe Authors talk. It's not his best speech ever, but it gives a good overview of his concept. I just finished reading Michael Shermer’s Mind of the Market. It had a whole chapter about fairness and trust. There’s a whole branch of biology that deals with reciprocity. They call it “altruism,” but it’s not altruism in the Ayn Rand sense. It’s closer to sharing.

It turns out that the traditional idea that capitalism causes us all to be greedy isn’t true. In the long run, we’re better off if we share. This “I scratch your back, you scratch mine” has been around for millions of years. And it almost always led to gains for individuals.

The biggest issue in this sort of society is how to punish freeloaders. Capitalism has an excellent mechanism: don’t pay them. Socialism has its own method: put them in charge. (Shermer didn’t write that last part. Those are my own conclusions.)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=71nsZABqoi8
Here’s Shermer’s Googe Authors talk. It’s not his best speech ever, but it gives a good overview of his concept.

]]> By: Larry C. http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-institution-promotes-the-highest-levels-of-%e2%80%9ctrust-fairness-and-cooperation%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-56422 Larry C. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:22:33 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=9727#comment-56422 People can change institutions. They cannot change their genes. So I would prefer to think that institutions people create have reinforcing effects on their fairness behaviour. In other words, people --not their genes -- are masters of their own destinies. People can change institutions. They cannot change their genes. So I would prefer to think that institutions people create have reinforcing effects on their fairness behaviour. In other words, people –not their genes — are masters of their own destinies.

]]> By: Ken http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-institution-promotes-the-highest-levels-of-%e2%80%9ctrust-fairness-and-cooperation%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-56419 Ken Fri, 26 Mar 2010 18:04:19 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=9727#comment-56419 Good point, Joe. Good point, Joe.

]]> By: Joe S. http://healthblog.ncpa.org/what-institution-promotes-the-highest-levels-of-%e2%80%9ctrust-fairness-and-cooperation%e2%80%9d/comment-page-1/#comment-56417 Joe S. Fri, 26 Mar 2010 17:53:53 +0000 http://www.john-goodman-blog.com/?p=9727#comment-56417 I think this is a very important finding. But the authors may have the causality reversed. People who create markets (or allow them to exist) may be the kind of people who have more of the fairness gene. In other words, fairness may lead to markets rather than the other way around. I think this is a very important finding. But the authors may have the causality reversed. People who create markets (or allow them to exist) may be the kind of people who have more of the fairness gene.

In other words, fairness may lead to markets rather than the other way around.

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