You may have heard a lot lately about the concept of zero-sum thinking. At a very basic level, it is the idea that in order for one person (or group of people) to benefit someone else has to lose. It is a psychological concept that we all have probably felt at one time or another in our lives.
But when it comes to opportunity is it true?
In some cases, as unfair as it may seem, it certainly is. If two people are trying to get the same job and there is only one position, then one person’s gain is another person’s loss.
In other cases, it’s not so clear. For example in school your ability to get an “A” doesn’t mean that someone else needs to get an “F” – unless the teacher chooses to grade on a curve. Or if you’re trying out for a team, the decision by the coach as to how many players will be on the team could create a zero-sum situation or it may not.
In all the above scenarios, the idea of zero-sum thinking hinges on the question of what are the available resources in a very specific situation. How many people will be hired (one), how many can get A’s or make the team (we’re not sure).
But what does all this mean on a societal level when it comes to opportunity? Is there a limit on the collective opportunities people have to succeed or live a good life?
Well, according to this research, many people seem to think so. Although it is interesting to note how people from different political dispositions think this plays out.
According to my friend and author of the research, Shai Davidai, “We are all at fault for zero-sum thinking. Conservatives blame liberals for ‘class warfare’ zero-sum rhetoric. Liberals blame conservatives for hateful zero-sum rhetoric about race/gender/immigration. The topics are VERY different, but the psychology is the same. This is why liberals tend to believe that ‘the rich gain at the expense of the poor’, and why conservatives tend to believe that ‘women and minorities gain at the expense of white men’ and that ‘immigrants are taking hard working Americans’ jobs.’”
The dangers of zero-sum thinking, as the quote suggests, is that it seeds division and unhealthy competition and stereotypes vs. fostering cooperation and compassion for our shared desire for a better life.
New evidence suggests that when it comes to opportunity our fears about zero-sum thinking and opportunities may be unfounded in at least one respect.
Research from Opportunity Insights shows that over the last ten years it has become less likely that poor White Americans moved up the economic ladder while at the same time Black Americans have had more success doing so. (It’s worth noting they are moving up different ladders with Black Americans still earning significantly less than White Americans.)
At first blush, it would be easy to read this finding as a clear cut example of zero-sum thinking. Black Americans gained, White Americans lost.
But a closer look at the data at the community level shows something altogether different: “The areas where Black children’s outcomes improved most tend to be the same areas where white children’s outcomes deteriorated the least. This finding underscores that opportunity is not a zero-sum game, and improvements for Black children do not come at the expense of their white counterparts.”
Yes, in individual cases, when you don’t get a job, position or grade because that specific opportunity was limited, it sucks; but that doesn’t mean that there aren’t other opportunities for you that would just as likely propel you forward.
For example, someone may not get their top choice in college but we know that where you go does not typically limit your chances of success. You might not get this job but overall the unemployment rate is low so there are likely other jobs out there that might be just as good for you and your family.
The focus of our discourse should not be stoking zero-sum thinking that breeds resentment and exclusion but rather finding ways to create more opportunities for all of us.
Which brings us to one last finding in the new Opportunity Insights research. Communities that invest in opportunities create more opportunities. Charlotte is a perfect example. In a previous study, Charlotte ranked 49/50th in U.S cities for social mobility. Rather than engage in zero-sum thinking, the community rallied together to better understand what was driving this result AND importantly created programs and policy changes that could create more opportunity for all. The community saw the third largest jump in social mobility in the country, moving it to the middle of the pack overall.
Proving that opportunities can be expanded, as long as we also allow our minds and thinking to do the same.
Recommendation of the week. I recently re-discovered the song, “A Little Bit of Everything” from the group Dawes. I had heard it before but never really listened to the lyrics, particularly the hopeful last verse. Give it a listen, it’s a masterclass in storytelling.