Information asymmetry.
Some people exploit legal but unreasonable tactics to profit, while others don’t even know how to legally and rationally protect their own interests.
For instance, many people believe they can only file an insurance claim when a car hits another car or a pedestrian, unaware that hitting a pole also qualifies—and the insurance company will cover the repair of that pole as well.
Negotiation is all about testing each other's bottom lines to reach a win-win outcome
For example, you need to figure out what a VC actually wants — because if the team falls apart, all that money goes down the drain anyway.
Working in complete isolation requires a massive investment of money, manpower, and time. Then the client tells you they don't need it, and everything goes to waste. For the boss, it's all burned capital; for the employee, it could mean a lifetime of effort thrown away.
It's like studying for over twenty years, only to be told the college entrance exam has been cancelled and there are no universities anymore—so everyone just scatters.
Without spending, there is no wealth to redistribute.
Disliking the lavish consumption of the wealthy is, in effect, disliking job opportunities—in a system where goods and services circulate, luxury spending creates employment.
Case Study: Tag-Based Recommendations and the "Guess What You Want" Algorithm at 58.com
This isn't a deep technical dive (I don't code), but it's worth reading for insights on how to design similarity-based recommendations and personalized, user-specific interest algorithms.
After nearly 20 years of matchmaking as a hobby, I’ve learned this: the people who say the least tend to expect the most. They don’t spell it out—not because it’s unspeakable, but simply because they haven’t bothered to articulate it. Their unspoken line goes like this: “Take whoever’s available. I’ll pick whom I want.”