The Greatest Hunter

In the pursuit of simplicity we often get caught in the false binary of working for one’s self or working for the community. You’ll see this more across cultural lines; while one will raise up and praise the accomplishments of an individual with little regard to the social consequences of their actions, others will raise up those that have sacrificed the most for their community providing praise without compensation.

As with most things though, the most sensible path lies in between. Tying accomplishment and success within the framework of the success of the community. Rewarding those that feed on the frivolous wants of the masses or use tactics to outmaneuver instead of outcompete opponents only leads to a world where the worst of us succeed.

This of course would be a form of meritocracy, but at least in much of the western world the concept of merit has been bastardised from being a true contribution to the good of your community to a measure of wealth or educations. Neither is inherently good until used for good, yet before any beneficial action is taken we strive to reward individuals simply for the tools they have at their disposal.

The greatest hunter is the best fed. They are likely the ones expending the most energy and therefor have the greatest need. Beyond that, it is few that would argue that the one that contributes the most deserves some level of reward, albeit in moderation.

However, this does not excuse the hunter from the responsibility of ensuring his village is also satiated as best as can be. In a sane society any hunter that brings home more than his fill only to hoard it until it rots would be ridiculed if not outright exiled from the community. A hunter that extorted his community and ensured he received all excess while his peers survived on the bare minimum would likely be shunned in the same way.

Dunbar proposed an upper limit of a community of 150 people. 150 others that you could possibly know and truly care about. While the number could be disputed, it’s hard to imagine there is not an upper limit to human compassion. But we should not require compassion to understand that all ships rise with the tide. If you create a framework that favors the ruthless, then the most ruthless few will rise and subjugate. If we don’t put the good of the community as the focal point while achieving individual success then all suffer but those least worthy of comfort.

Reward the greatest hunter, not just the hunter that hunts the best.