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The particularly brilliant analysis here of current worrisome propaganda messages brought to mind a concept from game theory I found useful at the dawn of the Russian attacks a decade ago, that of a “mixed strategy” in which a player decides a move randomly , for example by the toss of a die. As you yourself do not know in advance what you will do, how can your opponent.?

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That's a great point. Game theory has never been my groove, but it certainly sounds like an apt application.

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Yes, in the interest of brevity, or perhaps to avoid antagonising fellow economists, I deleted my lack of enthusiasm for the overuse of game theory, especially as applied in simplified one-off form. It was only this point where I once had an “aha” moment, and it seemed to add a bit of value to your genuinely important contribution. on how it works, including the mentality of the contributors.

On the general question of the use of game theory, I always refer to the magnificent presentation on game theory by Ariel Rubinstein at the РЄШ Tenth Anniversary Conference in December 2002. After a spectacular, almost bland no, display of intricate abstract mathematics which received tumultuous applause, he waited and added. “Remember, however, it is , only fables”

I carried that away .together with the belief that the best fables are critical social heuristics Aesop’s Fox and Grapes, translated, even finds Зелен виноград I understand

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Edit, “almost bland no” is not even an autocarwreck but a mysterious fat finger insert

Thanks again for a necessarily disturbing contribution . I hope it will be widely disseminated

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