Pot of Gold Theory

The Pot of Gold Theory is an emerging sociological concept that attempts, in part, to better understand and explain the role of influence in social hierarchies.
Origin
The Pot of Gold Theory was originally a concept described by assembly line worker Daniel "DJ" Martin to apply locally to his specific set of friends. After a night of heavy drinking and pursuing women, DJ claimed the following: "Zack is the only one of us with access to the pot of gold". After initial reluctance to the concept and general confusion over its meaning, DJ continued, "Look at it this way, would you put down $100 on black 18? Of course you wouldn't..." The theory lie dormant for the next few hours.
The next morning, as Martin attempted to piece together the previous evening, he went to work on the previous night's comments. After hours of conversation, the Pot of Gold Theory was finalized. It states 3 things:
3. Every social hierarchy is ruled by one or more entities, who exert dominance over those below them, for pure amusement.
1. This dominance results in both the flow of money for the amusement of the leader, as well as the general influence over group events/activities.
2. The leader(s) is, in most situations, a pawn controlled by two or more members of the general populace, who blend into the ranks of the unknown, in a attempt to establish a puppet government (a la the Vichy France).
Application to Game Theory
While not yet a widely accepted theory amongst sociologists, the Pot of Gold Theory has numerous possible applications, chief among them is to classical game theory, in the field of economics. Current game theory is based primarily around the concept of the Nash Equilibrium, which attempts to determine the best possible outcome from competitive "games". The Nash Equilibrium, aptly defined in the 2001 Oscar Winning film A Beautiful Mind, basically states that the best outcome is achieved through each participant looking out for both their own best interest, and the best interest of all participants.
The Pot of Gold Theory presents a completely different interpreation of game theory, one in direct conflict with the Nash Equilibrium. Under Pot of Gold guidelines, each participant would compete in a way that best serves the opponent. In a POG world, no one person can ever be sure if they're the true leader, or the pawn. Therefore, the only reasonable solution is to act as the pawn, since knowledge that a pawn exists leaves you less susceptible to being the pawn. So acting in the favor of the pawn would ultimately benefit you, since you either are the pawn, or you're not.

Main Menu

See Also

Main Menu