Comments on: New Protocol for Offering and Asking for Favors http://blog.yootles.com/2006/11/04/new-protocol-for-offering-and-asking-for-favors/ A weblog by Daniel Reeves Fri, 10 Dec 2010 06:29:45 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.5 hourly 1 By: dreeves http://blog.yootles.com/2006/11/04/new-protocol-for-offering-and-asking-for-favors/comment-page-1/#comment-3 dreeves Wed, 15 Nov 2006 04:46:53 +0000 http://blog.yootles.com/?p=6#comment-3 That one was very similar in spirit. Instead of "I can take your cat to the vet since you have homework due" it was "I'll share the job of taking the cat to the vet." We then had a Decision Auction to decide who would actually do it. I lost, meaning I had to take the cat, but got paid yootles for it. The beauty of this protocol is that, sure, it's nice of me to want to help when Bethany's cat gets sick right before a deadline, but I shouldn't presume to know how busy she is. Let the "invisible hand" decide who truly minds least. And as a bonus, it compensates the person who gets stuck with the job, giving them capital to use next time they need a favor in return. This is exactly what people try to approximate by trying to alternate favors and feeling each other out. The reason to use yootles instead is simple: it does a better job. That translates quite literally into greater happiness. That one was very similar in spirit. Instead of “I can take your cat to the vet since you have homework due” it was “I’ll share the job of taking the cat to the vet.” We then had a Decision Auction to decide who would actually do it. I lost, meaning I had to take the cat, but got paid yootles for it.

The beauty of this protocol is that, sure, it’s nice of me to want to help when Bethany’s cat gets sick right before a deadline, but I shouldn’t presume to know how busy she is. Let the “invisible hand” decide who truly minds least. And as a bonus, it compensates the person who gets stuck with the job, giving them capital to use next time they need a favor in return.

This is exactly what people try to approximate by trying to alternate favors and feeling each other out. The reason to use yootles instead is simple: it does a better job. That translates quite literally into greater happiness.

]]> By: Bee http://blog.yootles.com/2006/11/04/new-protocol-for-offering-and-asking-for-favors/comment-page-1/#comment-2 Bee Fri, 10 Nov 2006 05:54:50 +0000 http://blog.yootles.com/?p=6#comment-2 I think that the auction for taking the cat to the vet is a little bit clearer exposition of this favor system. I think that the auction for taking the cat to the vet is a little bit clearer exposition of this favor system.

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