Bankless 152 - Why Can't We Have Nice Things | Liv Boeree
24 snips
Jan 9, 2023 
Liv Boeree, a former professional poker player and game theory expert, delves into the concept of Moloch and its impact on human coordination. She discusses how unhealthy competition influences societal issues like cancer and nuclear proliferation. Liv explores the role of crypto in addressing these failures while emphasizing the importance of cooperation over competition. Through philosophical insights, she advocates for systemic design and collective decision-making to navigate modern challenges, ultimately suggesting that intentional collaboration can help counteract Moloch's destructive tendencies.
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Moloch's Origins
- The ancient Canaanite story of Moloch describes a god appeased by child sacrifice for military power.
- This reflects the extreme lengths to which Moloch can drive the pursuit of victory.
Centralization as a Moloch Trap
- Centralized coordination can solve some Moloch problems, but creates vulnerabilities to tyranny.
- This is because centralized power figures then optimize for status and control, creating new problems.
Moloch's Power in Uncoordinated Systems
- Moloch thrives in systems with many uncoordinated agents.
- It rewards those who defect first, creating a race to the bottom that accelerates Moloch's arrival.
