In the battlefield of life, every man must choose his game. Some fights are brutal, where one man’s victory is another’s loss. Others are strategic, where alliances and smart moves create wealth and power for all. Understanding the difference between Zero-Sum and Positive-Sum games is the key to dominance in business, relationships, and survival.
A Zero-Sum Game is a competition where one man’s gain is another man’s loss. The total value in the system remains fixed, meaning for someone to win, someone else must lose. These games are common in war, business competition, politics, and status battles—where only one can be on top, and the rest are left behind.
Are Most of Our Interactions with Other Men Zero-Sum?
Yes! Men are naturally competitive, and in many situations, one man’s rise means another’s fall.
Example: The Last Seat in the Matatu
You and another man are running towards the last available seat in a matatu during rush hour.
You both lock eyes.
It’s war. If you get the seat, you ride like a king.
If he gets it, you’re left standing, gripping the roof like a powerless peasant while the conductor bullies you for fare.
Why is this Zero-Sum? Because there’s only one seat.
No matter how diplomatic you are, you can’t both sit.
Either you win and enjoy the ride, or he wins and you suffer.
No win-win scenario—just dominance and defeat.
Let us Explore More Serious Examples of Zero Sum Games You Are Playing With Other Men, knowingly or otherwise.
- Competition for Customers and Market Share
Business is war, and customers are the spoils.
Every shilling a customer spends on your competitor is a shilling they didn’t spend on you.
Example: The Butchery Wars
Two butcheries, side by side.
You sell fresh, juicy beef. Your competitor does too.
One day, you notice something disturbing—your loyal customers are buying from him.
You investigate and discover his sinister tactic: he started giving free soup bones with every purchase.
Now, you’re faced with two choices:
Strike back—cut your prices or offer a better deal.
Do nothing and watch your revenue shrink.
Why is this Zero-Sum?
Because the total number of meat-buying customers in that area is limited.
Every new client your competitor gains is one less for you.
It’s a direct battle—there’s no middle ground.
Either you win the market, or he does.
- Breeding Rights – The Ultimate Zero-Sum Game
In the animal kingdom and human society, reproductive access is the most primal form of competition.
If a woman chooses one man, she rejects all the other 4+ Billions.
This is why status, resources, and dominance are crucial—because women don’t breed with losers.
Example 1: The Billionaire vs. the Broke Guy
A young woman is weighing her options.
One man is wealthy, powerful, and dominant.
The other is a nice guy with “potential”.
No prizes for guessing who she picks.
The moment she enters the billionaire’s world, the broke guy is finished.
He can cry about “loyalty” all he wants—the game is rigged against him.
Why is this Zero-Sum?
Because a woman can only commit to one man at a time.
If she chooses the billionaire, the other man loses forever.
Example 2: The Friendzone Trap
A man spends months orbiting a woman, offering her emotional support, hoping one day she’ll “see his value.”
Meanwhile, she’s sleeping with a man who barely texts her back.
The orbiting guy eventually confesses his feelings. She hits him with:
“Awww, you’re like a brother to me!”
Game over.
Why is this Zero-Sum?
Because time and energy are limited.
While the nice guy was playing therapist, the other man was breeding.
Example 3: The Polygamous Sultan vs. the Monogamous Peasant
A powerful king takes 20 wives, leaving the peasants with nothing but loneliness and frustration.
This was the reality in ancient times—one man’s dominance meant other men’s extinction.
Even today, high-status men hoard women, while low-status men struggle to even get a date.
The more resources and power you have, the more exclusive access you gain.
Why is this Zero-Sum?
Because in any society, the top 10% of men dominate the majority of women, leaving the bottom 50% fighting for scraps.
By the way, most men die childless. They become extinct!
There Are No Participation Trophies in Evolution
Breeding rights have always been a winner-takes-all game.
Women choose the strongest, the richest, and the most dominant.
If you’re not that man, someone else will take your place.
- Competition for Positions – The Ruthless Ladder of Power
Men don’t climb the social or career ladder together—they climb over each other.
Whether it’s a political seat, a promotion, or a leadership role, there can only be one winner.
Example 1: The Brutal Office Promotion
Two men, one managerial position.
Both have been grinding for years, staying late, impressing the boss, and pretending to like company events.
Finally, the CEO calls them in.
Boss: “After careful consideration, we have decided to promote… John.”
John gets a fat salary bump, a corner office, and the power to make his rival’s life hell.
Meanwhile, the other guy swallows his pride, shakes John’s hand, and pretends not to be seething with silent rage.
Why is this Zero-Sum?
Because the company isn’t creating two promotions.
One man rises, the other stays stagnant.
Example 2: Political Showdowns
Two politicians, one seat.
The elections arrive, and only one name will be on the final ballot.
Candidate A: Runs an aggressive campaign, wins over key allies, and buries his opponent in scandals and propaganda.
Candidate B: Cries about fairness and loses.
Now, Candidate A gets the power, influence, and wealth that comes with office. Candidate B is forgotten.
Why is this Zero-Sum?
Because there is no “second place” in politics.
The losers gets nothing—just debts, embarrassment, and excuses.
Example 3: Becoming the Alpha in a Group
Every male social circle has an unspoken hierarchy.
Whether it’s a group of friends, a corporate boardroom, or a gang, there’s always an alpha who commands the most respect.
If a new guy joins and starts gaining more influence, the existing leader either crushes him or gets replaced.
Why is this Zero-Sum?
Because leadership isn’t shared—it’s seized.
If a new dominant male emerges, the old one becomes irrelevant.
Conclusion: Power is Never Given—It’s Taken
The world doesn’t reward “effort” or “fairness.”
If you’re not the one climbing, you’re the one being stepped on.
In positions of power, there is no middle ground—just winners and forgotten men.
That’s just how life is.
Positive-Sum Games – The Art of Creating More
Unlike Zero-Sum Games, where one man’s win is another’s loss, Positive-Sum Games allow multiple winners.
These games create value, expanding the pie instead of fighting over limited slices.
Smart men know that collaboration, innovation, and long-term strategy often beat direct competition.
Here’s how Positive-Sum Games play out in real life:
- Business Partnerships – Making Money Together
Two ambitious men start businesses in the same industry but instead of competing, they collaborate.
For example, Renters Hub partners with a moving company.
Every time a customer finds a house, Renters Hub refers them to the movers, and the movers send people looking for rentals back to Renters Hub.
Both businesses grow.
Both make more money.
Neither has to destroy the other.
Why Positive-Sum? They aren’t fighting for the same customer—they’re creating a bigger market by working together.
- Mastermind Groups – Leveling Up Together
A group of driven men meet regularly to share strategies, business ideas, and life lessons.
Instead of hiding secrets and hoarding success, they push each other to new heights.
One man shares a new investment opportunity, another introduces a powerful contact, and a third helps refine someone’s business pitch.
As a result, everyone gets richer, smarter, and more powerful.
Why Positive-Sum?
Because knowledge, networking, and strategy aren’t limited resources—when shared, they multiply.
- Economic Growth – Expanding the Wealth Pool
A village has 100 men, each making Ksh 500 per day.
If they just compete for money, they’ll fight over the same small pool.
But one man builds a fishing business, another starts a butchery, and another opens a hardware store.
Now:
The fisherman sells fish to the butcher.
The butcher buys nails from the hardware store.
The hardware store owner eats fish.
Soon, everyone is making Ksh 1,500 per day instead of Ksh 500.
Why Positive-Sum?
They didn’t steal from each other—they created more value through specialization and trade.
- Brotherhood & Strategic Alliances
A lone wolf can survive, but a pack can conquer.
Men who work together strategically can:
Protect each other from threats.
Share insider information that elevates the whole group.
Create power structures where each man benefits from the other’s success.
Example: One friend becomes a politician, another a businessman, another a lawyer.
The businessman funds the politician’s campaign.
The politician creates favorable policies for the businessman.
The lawyer protects both from legal attacks.
Why Positive-Sum? Each man rises higher than he ever could alone.
- Fatherhood – Multiplying Your Legacy
The most Positive-Sum Game of all: having children.
A man who raises strong, intelligent, and disciplined sons doesn’t just add value to himself—he multiplies it across generations.
His sons:
Expand his empire.
Strengthen his name.
Build wealth that lasts beyond his lifetime.
Why Positive-Sum? Because unlike wealth or status, wisdom and legacy grow when passed down.
The Smartest Men Play Both Games
When the world forces competition, you play Zero-Sum and crush the opposition.
When you can create new value, you play Positive-Sum and multiply your power.
War and peace. Destruction and creation. The true Tribal Chief masters both.
The Tribal Chief & Positive-Sum Games with Women
Yes—only with his own women.
A Tribal Chief doesn’t compete for women in a Zero-Sum struggle like the average man.
Instead, he creates a system where everyone benefits—a Positive-Sum Game where his power, wisdom, and resources multiply through his women and children.
Here’s how:
- The Chief Expands His Legacy, Not Just His Lust
A weak man chases women like a hungry dog—desperate, reactive, and fighting for scraps.
But a Tribal Chief builds an empire that naturally attracts women.
He provides security, direction, and leadership.
His women receive protection, guidance, and a future.
His children inherit strength, discipline, and wisdom.
Everyone gains—no one loses.
Why Positive-Sum? Because unlike casual flings, a powerful bloodline grows stronger over time.
- Multiple Women, No Chaos
Ordinary men see polygamy as a Zero-Sum Game—they think if one woman gets attention, another loses.
That’s why most fail to manage multiple women.
A Tribal Chief plays it differently:
Hierarchy: Every woman knows her place. There’s no confusion.
Purpose: Each woman contributes—raising children, maintaining the home, or supporting the vision.
Authority: There’s no begging, arguing, or negotiating. The Chief decides, and they follow.
This way, instead of women competing for resources and attention, they work together to build something greater.
Why Positive-Sum? Because the Chief’s leadership creates order, stability, and expansion—not chaos.
- Training His Sons for War, Not Weakness
The Chief doesn’t just breed—he trains warriors.
His sons grow up knowing they must dominate, not submit.
His daughters learn to respect strong men and reject weaklings.
His household becomes a kingdom, not a daycare.
Each generation is stronger, richer, and more disciplined than the last.
Why Positive-Sum?
Because he’s not just living for himself—he’s multiplying his power through his bloodline.
Most men fight over one woman like dogs over a bone.
The Tribal Chief doesn’t fight—he builds a system where women want to stay and multiply his legacy.
That’s why a man with vision and power never lacks women.
His presence creates value, instead of fighting for leftovers.
