Nature Quote by Cory Doctorow
““The fact was, there wasn't room on earth for a couple million gold-farmers to turn into high-paid video-game executives. The fact was, if you had to slice the pie into enough pieces to give one to everyone, you'd end up slicing them so thin you could see through them. "When 30,000 people share an apple, no one benefits -- especially not the apple." It was a quote one of his economics profs had kept written in the corner of his white-board, and any time a student started droning on about compassion for the poor, the old prof would just tap the board and say, "Are you willing to share your lunch with 30,000 people?””
About This Quote
Source Lecture: Economics of Digital Media, 2017
He uses a metaphor to illustrate how dividing limited resources among too many people dilutes value, questioning fairness of mass sharing.
In simple terms: Too many share a small resource, it loses value for everyone.
Key Takeaway
Consider equitable distribution limits.
Themes
resource scarcity
fairness
economics
digital goods
inequality
Mood
analytical
critical
Type
economic
philosophical
When to use this quote
- gaming industry
- digital economies
- policy making
Key Concepts
tragedy of the commons
value dilution
Questions to Reflect On
- How can we design systems that benefit many without loss?
- What alternatives exist to equal sharing?
A Different Perspective
Sharing can foster collaboration, not just depletion.
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