Contemplations
A Tale of Two Decisions
In the 2021 Tokyo Olympics high jump event, the two leading jumpers, Mutaz Barshim (Qatar) and Gianmarco Tamberi (Italy) were tied in the final round. The judge offered them the opportunity to share the gold medal or go for a sudden death jump-off until someone eventually won the gold medal. The two jumpers decided to share the gold medal.
In the 2024 Olympics high jump event; a similar situation happened with Shelby McEwen (USA) and Hamish Kerr (New Zealand) but both decided not to share the gold medal but go for sudden death jump-off which Kerr won.
McEwen has received a lot of abuse online for his risky jump-off decision which cost him a certain Olympic gold medal. They argued that he should have followed the precedent set in the last Olympics by Barshim and Tamberi. Kerr has avoided such abuse because he won the gold medal. Some people have defended McEwen for his competitive drive to go for the gold medal knowing that there was a 50% chance of failure.
The thing is both camps are wrong because McEwen never got a chance to make his own decision.
Kerr had already decided months ago that he was going to choose a jump-off if he was ever in such a situation. He felt it would be “so sick” to add to Olympic history by doing a jump-off to contrast with what Barshim and Tamberi did a few years ago. He said in an interview after winning the gold medal that “even coming second, I would have been so proud of that.”{1}
McEwen was exhausted when he had a quick chat with Kerr with the judge hanging about for their decision. Kerr said he wanted a jump-off before McEwen had a chance to voice his preference.
Kerr’s precommitment strategy to go for the jump-off constrained McEwen’s options and removed the cooperative option of sharing the gold medal. Since Kerr was determined to compete, McEwen had little choice but to participate in the jump-off or else forfeit the competition. McEwen was backed into a corner and to refuse Kerr’s gauntlet would be considered unsportsmanlike. He would have received far more online abuse for this decision compared to the one he did receive.
Barshim in 2021 was the one who initially proposed sharing the gold medal and Tamberi delightedly went along. The problem with these two high jump scenarios is that the decision-making process is sequential, not simultaneous thus the first person to voice his decision limits the options of the second person. This provides a first-mover advantage for that initial decision-maker.
“He said it first, and I agreed to it,” McEwen said. “At some point, I kind of got fatigued. I maybe would have shared it with him, for sure. But I agreed to it, and it was all good.”{2}
Consumptions
📺 (TV Show)
Dark Matter is a show about regret, love, and perseverance. This enjoyable Apple TV series explores the multiverse concept. Unlike Marvel’s fantastical multiverse, Dark Matter’s multiverse is grounded and relatable.
Dark Matter illustrates Jeff Bezos’ concept of one-door versus two-door decisions. One-door decisions are irreversible; once made, you live with the consequences and there are no redos, only regret if the decision was wrong. Two-door decisions are reversible, with lower stakes if they don’t work out.
The series poses the question: if you had the chance to correct a wrong decision from years ago, a decision that altered your life path, would you take it?
The show focuses on how one man attempts to reverse a one-door decision made years ago by kidnapping another man and stealing his life. It highlights that choices have consequences, and not all consequences are intended. It concludes on a bittersweet note, emphasising the repercussions of careless actions.
