{"id":7899,"date":"2024-12-15T10:52:00","date_gmt":"2024-12-15T09:52:00","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.vince-inc.com\/vincent\/?p=7899"},"modified":"2026-06-19T12:01:13","modified_gmt":"2026-06-19T10:01:13","slug":"what_about_me_ism-new-book-2023","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.vince-inc.com\/vincent\/?p=7899","title":{"rendered":"WHATABOUTMEISM | MARCH 2025"},"content":{"rendered":"

WHATABO<\/span>UTMEISM
\nInsights from game theory, behavioral economics and moral philosophy
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n

Vincent F. Hendricks<\/p>\n

ISBN: 978-3-031-84639-7<\/span> (softcover)
\nISBN: 978-3-031-84640-3<\/span> (ebook)<\/p>\n

New York: Springer Nature<\/a>, March 2025<\/p>\n

Order on Saxo<\/a> or Amazon<\/a><\/p>\n

In this book, Vincent F. Hendricks draws on game theory, behavioral economics and moral philosophy in a scathing critique of what he calls whataboutmeism<\/em>. A form of egoism in which life is viewed as a zero-sum game.<\/p>\n

The colleague is promoted; a friend hangs out with another friend but not you; and your partner decides to spend the day off with the friends. Promptly we may ask: \u201cWhat about me?!\u201d Often enough the answer to that recurring question should simply be: \u201cWhat about you? It\u2019s not about you!\u201d<\/p>\n

By systematically confusing autonomy with egoism and groupthink with democracy we develop and sustain this way of thinking. To overcome this trend of whataboutmeism we must take a hard look at ourselves, the games we play, the way we behave and discipline ourselves into realizing \u2018it\u2019s not all about me\u2019.<\/p>\n

Humorous, erudite yet scholarly, the book covers this prevalent trend in society that rages online as well as offline. By providing a full analysis of said trend based on game theory, behavioral economics and moral philosophy, the author helps us realise that it\u2019s not all about me. It\u2019s about us.<\/p>\n

Whataboutmeism <\/em>(2025) is the first installment of the trilogy<\/strong> \u2014 Zero-Sum Empire: From Egoism to Mass Indifference<\/em> \u2014 also including SUCKER NATION<\/em><\/a> (2026) and Nobody Cares<\/em><\/a> (2027):<\/p>\n

\n

1. Whataboutmeism<\/a><\/strong><\/em>: Insights from Game Theory, Behavioral Economics and Moral Philosophy<\/a><\/em><\/strong> (2025)<\/p>\n

Whataboutmeism<\/em> argues that when citizens prioritize personal validation over shared facts, democracy devolves into a zero-sum game of competing egos.<\/p>\n

\n

2. Sucker Nation: The Philosophy of Trading Wits for Vanity<\/a><\/strong><\/em> (2026)<\/p>\n

Sucker Nation<\/em> shows how the digital attention economy strips away individual autonomy by trapping even rational agents in exploitative, high-visibility power games.<\/p>\n

\n

3. Nobody Cares: The Philosophy of Indifference<\/strong><\/em><\/a> (2027)<\/p>\n

Nobody Cares<\/em> warns that the ultimate cost of this hyper-individualism is a state of mass apathy where the collapse of mutual concern makes collective democratic action impossible.<\/p>\n

even rational agents in exploitative, high-visibility power games.<\/p>\n

\n

Table of Content<\/strong><\/p>\n

Prologue<\/p>\n

    \n
  1. Life and zero-sum scenarios<\/li>\n
  2. The whataboutme game<\/li>\n
  3. Enough about me, what about you, what do you think of me?<\/li>\n
  4. Moral depravity<\/li>\n
  5. Seeing it coming a mile away<\/li>\n
  6. Separate streadsheets<\/li>\n
  7. Coward or crook?<\/li>\n
  8. Work the problem, work together<\/li>\n
  9. What about you?! It’s about us!<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n

    Acknowledgements<\/p>\n

    \"\"<\/a><\/p>\n

    About the Author
    \n<\/strong><\/p>\n

    Vincent F. Hendricks<\/strong>, born 1970, is Professor of Formal Philosophy at The University of Copenhagen. He is Director of the Center for Information and Bubble Studies (CIBS) sponsored by the Carlsberg Foundation. A prolific writer he has been was awarded a number of prizes for his research among them The Elite Research Prize by the Danish Ministry of Science, Technology and Innovation, The Roskilde Festival Elite Research Prize, Choice Magazine Outstanding Academic Title Award and The Rosenkj\u00e6r Prize. He was Editor-in-Chief of Synthese: An International Journal for Epistemology, Methodology and Philosophy of Science<\/em> between 2005-2015.<\/p>\n

    Press and Performances<\/strong><\/p>\n