In this live audience demonstration, the host guides participants through a simple game where each pair draws two cards, adds the numbers, and determines eligibility for a prize based on threshold values (e.g., >1500, >1600, etc.). Mary and her partner reveal a combined total of 18.07, which actually corresponds to individual card values of 851 and 956. The discussion then shifts to how the winning pair should split the prize. Mary proposes a split proportional to each partner’s card value, which the host praises as the only rational method, contrasting it with the more common 50/50 split. The host probes cultural attitudes toward equal splits, noting that few participants from the Americas, Europe, or Asia favor 50/50. He also shares a related anecdote from a similar exercise at Nike, where a participant lied about her number, highlighting issues of honesty and trust in the game. Throughout, the host emphasizes fairness, rationality, and the surprising dynamics when high and low numbers are paired.
Chapters
Before we talk about the process, we'll deal with what everybody wants to know, which is who won. All right, so take the 2 cards, add the 2 numbers together. When everybody's got their numbers added together, we'll then see who won. But we can't figure out who won until we have the numbers added together. So has everybody got their numbers added together?
Yes.
Okay, good. So we'll start this way. If your combined number is greater than 1,500, raise your hand.
Oh.
Okay. If your combined— if your combined score is greater than 1,600, leave your hand up. If your combined score is greater than 1,700, leave your hand up. Greater than 1,800, leave your hand up. So do I— do I see 2 hands? Okay. So honesty, what's your number? What's your combined?
18.07.
Seriously?
Yeah, they're partners.
Oh, you guys are partners? Hey, look, at least they knew they were partners. You're partners, that's good. All right, so did you both have over 900 or how did it work out? What were the 2 card numbers?
I had 851, he had 956.
Okay, so how did you guys agree to split the money?
I said that I would, whatever the numbers came out, would split it up according to the percentage of the numbers.
Excuse me one second. I know I said I wasn't leaving the stage, I am.
Mary.
Congratulations. You are the first human being who has ever done this, that I've done it, that's agreed to split it that way, which is the only rational way to split it. However, let's be fair. Americans, how many Americans agreed to split it 50/50? Hands down. How many South Americans agreed to split it 50/50? How many of the people from Europe agreed to split it 50/50? How many people from Asia agreed to split it 50/50? Only a few. Okay, so look. Huh? Look. Why on earth would you split it 50/50? Because you think it's fair. That's what we do. We think it's fair. Well, what if the other person doesn't think so? Look, the numbers— here's what I know, okay? I knew a little bit more than I was willing to tell you. The numbers range from in the 900s to in the 100s, alright? So if 2 people with very high numbers get together, they're gonna win. But you'd be surprised how many people with numbers around 100 end up partnering with somebody with something in the 900s when that's the range. I did this for— I did this exact same exercise at Nike. The Dan or the Glenn of the room lied about their number. And Nike, if you don't know the Nike culture, they're very open, honest people. So everybody was stunned that she lied about her number. So they asked if we could play the game again. I said, sure. So we played it again. She lied the second time too, and everybody was shocked.
Look.
Did she want it though?
She did.
She did. So you guys work out how the split goes, and I'll give you the money when we're done here for sure.
