<center><img src="http://source.unsplash.com/1600x900/?nature,forest" width="360"></center>
Well, the good news is that the human race survived the zombie apocalypse. The bad news is that most of civilization has collapsed. Groups of people (~1000) have gathered to form communities. Individuals specialize in some basic skills, some hunt and gather for food, some are recreating agriculture as human society rebuilds.
Because of your exceptional leadership during the wars, you have been put in the position of leader of your society. This seemed glamorous at the time, but you find much of your time is spent adjudicating disagreements among your subjects. However, it is precisely the wise adjudication of disagreements that keeps your society from descending into chaos, which is as much of a danger to humanity as the zombies ever were.
[[Ready to start your day? |conflict one]]
Alice sold wood to Bob for three chickens. Bob wanted a volume of wood 10 feet long by 2 feet wide and 2 feet high. He had measured this out using his own feet to measure length. Alice delivered the wood by measuring this out using her own feet, which happen to be considerably smaller than Bob’s feet. The amount of wood was not what Bob wanted. Alice believes she delivered what she promised. What do you do?
[[1. Rule in favor of Alice. A trader should be able to determine the rules about what they own. It is absurd to use Bob’s definition of the length of a foot for Alice’s wood. | Alice wins ]]
[[2. Rule in favor of Bob. The trader has to make it clear how much of their stuff they are trading. Bob was clear about three chickens. Alice was not and ended up scamming Bob. | Bob wins ]]
[[3. Split the difference. Alice has to deliver half the difference between what she delivered and what Bob expected. | Solomon ]]
[[4. Consult your advisors. Is there some standard of length? Doesn’t anyone have a ruler left over? | question standard]]
Ok. Bob accepts your ruling, but buyers of things are not happy. Trading becomes much more difficult and fraught with disagreements.
[[Continue |conflict two]]
Ok. Alice accepts your ruling, but sellers of things are not happy. Trading becomes much more difficult and fraught with disagreements.
[[Continue |conflict two]]
No one is really happy about this, buyers are still left in confusion. Sellers worry they are going to be taken advantage of.
[[Continue |conflict two]]
No. There isn’t a standard of length. During the apocalypse, rulers, yardsticks and measuring tape really weren’t high on the list of essential items for survival.
[[1. Ok, makes sense. Let's get back to the disagreement. |conflict one]]
[[2. Investigate making a new standard of length. | Make Standard ]]
Eventually, another conflict arises. Carlos wanted to buy 100 feet of rope from Dahvi. But Dahvi's foot was almost half of that of Carlos.
[[1. Rule in favor of Dahvi. The seller gets to set the definition. | Dahvi wins ]]
[[2. Rule in favor of Carlos. If the seller isn't clear, they have to pay. | Carlos wins ]]
[[3. Split the difference again. | Solomon2 ]]
[[4. Consult your advisors. Is there some standard of length? Doesn’t anyone have a ruler left over? | question standard 2]]
Ok. Dahvi accepts your ruling, but buyers of things are not happy. Trading becomes much more difficult and fraught with disagreements.
[[Continue |conflict x]]
Ok. Carlos accepts your ruling, but buyers of things are not happy. Trading becomes much more difficult and fraught with disagreements.
[[Continue |conflict x]]
No one is really happy about this, and discontent grows. People don't really like the results or the confusion it creates.
[[Continue |conflict x]]
Eve has brought a complaint against Fred. She claims he wore artificially small shoes when he measured out a foot of bread she was buying.
[[1. Rule in favor of Fred. Fred's bread and Fred's shoes. | Fred wins ]]
[[2. Rule in favor of Eve. Fred was engaged in fraud. | Eve wins ]]
[[3. Split the difference. | Solomon3 ]]
[[4. Consult your advisors. Is there some standard of length? Doesn’t anyone have a ruler left over? | question standard 3]]
Eve is so upset that she does not accept the ruling and no longer believes you are a legitimate authority.
[[1. Hire more security. | failure ]]
[[2. Consult your advisors. Is there some standard of length? Doesn’t anyone have a ruler left over? |question standard 4]]
Fred is so upset that she does not accept the ruling and no longer believes you are a legitimate authority.
[[1. Hire more security. | failure ]]
[[2. Consult your advisors. Is there some standard of length? Doesn’t anyone have a ruler left over? |question standard 4]]
Everyone is angry. Trading slows considerably given the uncertainty and everyone's quality of life degrades. People question your authority as leader.
[[1. Hire more security. | failure ]]
[[2. Consult your advisors. Is there some standard of length? Doesn’t anyone have a ruler left over? |question standard 4]]
No. There isn’t a standard of length. During the apocalypse, rulers, yardsticks and measuring tape really weren’t high on the list of essential items for survival.
[[1. Ok, makes sense. Let's get back to the disagreement. |conflict two]]
[[2. Investigate making a new standard of length. | Make Standard ]]
No. There isn’t a standard of length. During the apocalypse, rulers, yardsticks and measuring tape really weren’t high on the list of essential items for survival.
[[1. Ok, makes sense. Let's get back to the disagreement. |conflict x]]
[[2. Investigate making a new standard of length. | Make Standard ]]
There are three items around whose lengths are about what you remember a foot to be. Which do you choose to be the new standard of one foot?
[[1. Your foot. | your foot ]]
[[2. An iron bar. | iron bar ]]
[[3. Three green beans placed end to end. | green beans ]]
You measure out the material using your new definition of a foot and make the parties renegotiate their deal.
They are satisfied, but there is still uncertainty as no one can duplicate your measurement. They also think maybe power is going to your head, thinking your foot should be the standard. People line up to have you do their measuring. This creates time problems, and different measurements when you wear different shoes.
[[1. Make the standard your foot without shoes for consistency. | more feet ]]
[[2. Try a different standard | Make Standard ]]
You measure out the material using your new definition of a foot and make the parties renegotiate their deal.
They are satisfied, but since you have the bar, people cannot duplicate your measurement. People line up to have you do their measuring. This creates time problems.
[[1. Make more iron bars the same length to distribute to the masses. | more bars ]]
[[2. Try a different standard | Make Standard ]]
[[3. Continue doing the measurements yourself. | do it yourself ]]
You measure out the material using your new definition of a foot and make the parties renegotiate their deal.
They are satisfied, but there is still uncertainty as no one can duplicate your measurement. People are using their own beans with mixed results. People line up to have you do their measuring. This creates time problems, and different measurements as the beans do not keep their shape over time.
[[1. Make a new standard with new beans | more beans ]]
[[2. Try a different standard | Make Standard ]]
People are confused and upset as each new standard is slightly different. Measuring things is now a big part of your job, making you do the rest of your job poorly. Having everyone wait on you drives commerce down.
[[1. Keep going and invest in growing beans. | failure ]]
[[2. Try a different standard | Make Standard ]]
You have failed as a leader. Chaos overtakes your people, and what was saved from the zombies has been lost to insufficient measureing tools.
[[Try Again? |Start Page]]
[[Credits |credits]]
People are confused and upset with a new standard. Measuring things is now a big part of your job, making you do the rest of your job poorly. Having everyone wait on you drives commerce down.
[[1. Keep going and hire someone to keep your feet is good condition. | failure ]]
[[2. Try a different standard | Make Standard ]]
You maintain the standard bar. Others bring iron bars to you, which you authenticate. Those bars are then used by others to measure things accurately. Commerce picks up as people can make objective measurements themselves and agree upon what the words mean they are using in negotiating.
[[Continue. | you win ]]
This does not make people happy. Commerce slows with people waiting on you.
[[1. Make more iron bars the same length to distribute to the masses. | more bars ]]
[[2. Try a different standard | Make Standard ]]
[[3. Continue doing the measurements yourself. | do it yourself some more ]]
People are agitating and complaining about your unresponsiveness.
[[1. Make more iron bars the same length to distribute to the masses. | more bars ]]
[[2. Try a different standard | Make Standard ]]
[[3. Hire security. | failure ]]
You win!
For many years, the standard of length, the meter, worked just this way. A iridium-platinum bar at the standards laboratory in France was kept as the definition of the meter. Other standards would be brought to the laboratory to compare with the official standard and then used throughout the world in measurement.
Today the meter is defined to be the length that light travels (in vacuum) for a very short period of time. This measurement can be done in standards laboratories around the world. Companies will then send their equipment to the laboratories to be tested against the official standards.
It seems so inconsequential, but Without standards for weights and measures, commerce cannot exist and civilization fails.
[[Try Again? |Start Page]]
[[Credits |credits]]
No. There isn’t a standard of length. During the apocalypse, rulers, yardsticks and measuring tape really weren’t high on the list of essential items for survival.
[[1. Ok, bummer. Invest in some security. | failure ]]
[[2. Investigate making a new standard of length. | Make Standard ]]
<strong>Credits:</strong> Game by <a href="http://www.abrahamphysics.com" target="_blank" >Eric R. I. Abraham</a>
<strong>Copyright:</strong> Meh.
<strong>Citations:</strong> The game was made in <a href="https://twinery.org" target="_blank" >Twine</a>. Pictures from <a href="https://unsplash.com" target="_blank" >Unsplash</a>.