StoryBall

Satre said hell is other people, but what if it's clam chowder and three-hour spoken-word jazz operas by a guy named Sebastian? What strategy could a bad-place dirtbag use to get to the Good Place? In this episode, we look at episodes 2 and 3 of the second season of the Good Place ("Dance Dance Resolution" & "Team Cockroach") and Eleanor's shrewd maneuvers. Beware: Spoilers for the Good Place! Son of a bench.  Show notes: The Art of Strategy, by Avinash K. Dixit and Barry J. Nalebuff Why Superman Doesn’t Take Over the World: What Superheroes Can Tell Us About Economics, J. Brian O’Roark Game Theory: A Nontechnical Introduction, by Morton Davis

Quick! Your father has been shot and lies dying in the dust of an ancient temple where the Holy Grail is kept. You have to choose the real grail among two dozens possible options. Choosing poorly is certain death. There's no time to spare! How do you choose?! In this episode we discuss bounded rationality (i.e. making decisions with imperfect information) and heuristics (the rules of thumb that substitute for extensive analysis) and how Indiana Jones relies on just such concepts to save his father and achieve everlasting life. Find us on Twitter @matovery Further reading: Strategy, by Lawrence Freedman Thinking, Fast & Slow, by Daniel Kahneman  

My wife and I were watching a clip from the totally dope #Quibi home-movie version of #ThePrincessBride, which caused us to turn around and watch the original,  and despite the fact that I've seen this movie 1 billion times and know all the words, it dawned on me that #Westley is a pretty savvy strategic thinker and shares quite a bit in common with another #strategic thinker I can name. In this episode, we look at the Battle of Wits, dominant strategies, and say a few things about reputation and bluffing. You can find me on twitter @matovery. Keep plotting & fanalyzing! 

Welcome to StoryBall! We take a look at books, movies, & TV shows through the prism of game theory and economics. Today, the original (fictional?) strategist, Odysseus and opportunity costs! Recommended: Emily Wilson’s translation and Twitter feed where she’s been performing the Odyssey during lockdown: @EmilyRCWilson https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Homer/dp/0393356256 Also recommended: Eddie Izzard on the Trojan War: https://www.dailymotion.com/video/x2o7227 And Daniel Mendelsohn’s An Odyssey: https://www.amazon.com/Odyssey-Father-Son-Epic/dp/0385350597 Find us on Twitter: StoryBall, @matovery