RESEARCH

Our research aims to explore how does humanity perceive itself  by examining the interconnectedness between two factors: zero-sum bias among humans and the existential threats to human survival. More specifically, how do you view humanity through the lenses of these two filters.  With your help this project hopes to invent a 'Global Altruism Index Assessment,' and your help is crucial to its success. The more people responding to our research questions, the more statistically reliable and precise the findings will be. Ultimately it is about understanding our collective hopes and dreams for our collective future. Metaphorically, we seek the answer to the question: how many of us wish this little girl success in achieving her hopes and dreams?

You will be pleased to know we will make every attempt to display the results in real-time. That means the results will be consistently accessible in real-time for your enlightenment. We kindly ask for your assistance in this crucial endeavor. Additionally, we encourage you to revisit and respond to new questions in new areas of inquiry in the upcoming months and years. Please stay connected with this page.

The survival of humanity in the future will depend on the extent of rational collaboration rather than irrational rivalry. To effectively tackle existential threats, a shift from a zero-sum mindset to a positive-sum mindset is crucial. Given the unprecedented challenges that necessitate united action, overcoming this bias is of utmost importance. Therefore, our research objective is to first determine how we humans view ourselves through the lenses of zero-sum bias and existential threats.

The battle against climate change illustrates the risks associated with a zero-sum mentality. In the context of nuclear weapons, a zero-sum mindset may trigger arms races. The COVID-19 pandemic demonstrated how zero-sum thinking can hinder global health efforts between nations. Can humanity embrace cooperation to reduce the pain and suffering from future pandemics?

Zero-sum bias as a psychological barrier can create a feedback loop where mistrust fosters further competition, making it increasingly difficult to recognize the interconnectedness and interdependence that characterizes many existential threats. The shift from competition to collaboration is not merely an ideal; it is a necessity for survival in an increasingly interconnected world. This then raises the following question: In the future will there be more of us left to throw a life line to a woman lost at sea or more of us who will simply look the other way?  

We are of the opinion that raising awareness about how humanity's global challenges are interconnected and interdependent can foster objectivity in our dialogues on these matters and potentially change perspectives in our collective quest for the common good of all citizens on our planet, "the only home we've ever known".