Part 2, Session 1 · Game Theory and Social Class

The essence of game theory is the confrontation between the few and the many, and the game between the individual and the collective

Key insights

The essence of game theory isthe confrontation between the few and the many、the game between the individual and the collective. The fundamental difference between poor and wealthy people lies in their information strategies and behavioral patterns. Wealthy people hide information and act counter to the trend; poor people disclose information and follow the crowd.Do not help someone because they are weak; help them because they are strong—this is the human law that the strong grow stronger and the weak grow weaker.

3.1 The Game Between the Few and the Many

Core questions

"Do you think most people are wealthy or do most people lack money? If most people are doing fine, then what should we do about what most people believe is right?"

Game Logic

多数人认为对的事情 → 无利可图（充分竞争，利润归零）
多数人贪婪时 → 少数人恐惧 → 获利机会
多数人恐惧时 → 少数人贪婪 → 获利机会

结论：做少数派，反向操作

Game matrix

3.2 The Game Between the Poor and the Rich

Who Is Lying?

"If two people's views are exactly opposite, then one of the poor person and the rich person must be lying. Do you think the poor person is more likely to lie, or the rich person? Whoever is more likely to deceive the other—is that person also more likely to become rich?"

Answer Analysis：

• The poor: disclose information → do not lie → but get deceived
• The rich: conceal information → lie/do not tell the truth → manage to deceive others → become rich
• Core: Information asymmetry is the root cause of the wealth gap

Things are valuable because they are rare

东西多 → 便宜 → 多数人拥有 → 公开透明 → 穷人思维
    ↓
东西少 → 贵   → 少数人拥有 → 隐藏保密 → 富人思维

3.3 The Game-Theoretic Ideas of Guiguzi and Laozi

Common Origins of Their Ideas

Core logic

老子：阴阳 → 两极转化 → 物极必反 → 反者道之动
鬼谷子：捭阖 → 开合之道 → 破解谎言 → 掌握主动

共同点：动作一样，都是两极对立统一
不同点：老子讲"道"（规律），鬼谷子讲"术"（应用）

Exposing Lies

"If two people each say something, and both claim to be more capable than the other, then one of them must be lying. What is Guiguzi here to do? To figure out who is lying."

甲方说自己厉害
乙方说自己厉害
    ↓
必有一人说谎
    ↓
鬼谷子：通过捭阖之术，找出谁在说谎
    ↓
掌握真实信息，获得博弈优势

3.4 The Rules of the Game Between the Strong and the Weak

Why should the minority submit to the majority?

多数人认同 → 无利可图（竞争充分）
多数人贪婪 → 少数人恐惧 → 获利
多数人恐惧 → 少数人贪婪 → 获利

结论：真理掌握在少数人手中，利益也是

The Principle of Helping

"Don't help someone because they are weak; help them immediately because they are strong. Because those who follow the Way receive much help, while those who lose the Way receive little help."

❌ 错误做法：
看到弱者 → 心生同情 → 伸出援手 → 被拖下水 → 一起死

✅ 正确做法：
看到强者 → 判断趋势 → 立即跟进 → 共同发展 → 一起强

3.5 Practical Applications of Game-Theoretic Thinking

The Macau Gambling Case

场景：澳门赌场，一个人运气特别好，买什么中什么
    ↓
结果：后面追了一堆人跟着他下注
    ↓
原因：他那天一定是"得道"了（运气好/有内幕）
    ↓
博弈思维：跟着强者下注，而不是同情弱者

The Best-Friend PUA Case

"You often get PUA'd by your best friend too, right? Congratulations."

弱者利用"可怜"作为诱饵
    ↓
激发你的同情心
    ↓
你伸出援手
    ↓
对方把你拖下水

常见话术：
- "我太难了..."
- "只有你理解我..."
- "我老公/男朋友对我不好..."
- 男的下跪忏悔："老婆对不起你..."

Game Theory in Investing

3.6 Game-Theoretic Paths to Upward Social Mobility

Imitate the strong, become strong, surpass the strong

第一步：识别谁是强者（得道者）
    ↓
第二步：跟随强者（站在巨人肩膀上）
    ↓
第三步：模仿强者（学习思维模式）
    ↓
第四步：成为强者（掌握核心能力）
    ↓
第五步：超越强者（创新突破）

Historical Examples

毛泽东：
站在马克思肩膀上 → 结合中国实际 → 毛泽东思想 → 超越

创业者：
模仿成功者 → 学习商业模式 → 本土化改造 → 超越

Key quotes

• "The logic of the game: the few versus the many, the individual versus the collective."
• "Things are valuable because they’re scarce: when there’s little of something, it’s expensive; when there’s plenty, it’s cheap."
• "Whoever can deceive the other more easily can get rich more easily."
• "What is Guiguzi here for? To figure out who’s lying."
• "Don't help people because they are weak; help them immediately because they are strong."
• "The strong stay strong, and the weak stay weak. This is the way of humanity."
• "Pity is the best bait. How many young women have been subjected to PUA manipulation?"

Practical application

Investment

1. Distinguish the Strong from the Weak: Identify who is truly strong (who has grasped the Way)
2. Follow the Strong: Buy when prices rise and sell when they fall; follow the trend
3. Don't Bottom-Fish: Don't sympathize with the weak or help "trash" get out of losing positions
4. Contrarian Thinking: Take what others discard, but choose what the strong have discarded

In the Workplace

1. Principles for Taking Sides: Side with the strong, not the weak
2. Project Selection: Follow strong projects, not weak ones
3. Choosing a Leader to Follow: Follow capable leaders, not incompetent ones
4. Team Selection: Join strong teams, not weak ones

In Personal Relationships

1. Recognize PUA Manipulation: Beware of people who use "pity" as bait
2. Don't Play the Saint: Help based on value, not sympathy
3. Choose Your Friends: Spend more time with the strong and less time entangled with the weak
4. Energy Management: Don't let the weak drain your energy

Practice checklist

• ☐ List the “strong” and “weak” people around you
• ☐ Analyze: Whom are you helping? Why?
• ☐ Reflect: Have you ever been fooled by the “pity” bait?
• ☐ This week: Observe one “majority vs. minority” struggle
• ☐ Record: Did the outcome fit the “strong get stronger” pattern?