# In the Business of Outrunning Bears By:: [[Ross Jackson]] 2023-05-21 There is a classic joke that goes something like this. Two people were in a campground when a bear entered the area. The first person started to panic whereas the second person sat down on a bench and started to lace up one’s running shoes. The first person said, “what on earth are you doing? You will never be able to outrun a bear.” The second person looked up and replied, “I don’t need to be able to outrun the bear, I just need to be able to outrun you.” There is a great deal one could unpack from this joke. For this post, the focus is given to how two people in the exact same situation understand and respond to it differently. Given how deeply sports influence our culture, there is a great deal of focus on being the best. One is instructed from an early age to become the best one can be. To vanquish all competition. Such an ethos is also observable in games like Risk! and Monopoly. Such a focus leads one to engage in the business of outrunning bears. In economics, the focus is on marginal performance. One doesn’t need to be great. One doesn’t even necessarily need to be good. One simply needs to be better than the competition. Such a focus leads one to engage in the business of outrunning one’s fellow camper. Being in a situation doesn’t mean one understands it effectively. With so many engaged in outrunning bears, it is often worth taking the time to tie one’s shoes first. #### Related Items [[Business]] [[Sports]] [[Competition]] [[Good]] [[Jokes]]