Height is not zero sum. Being taller seems clearly all-else-equal better apart from the (significant) fact that it carries health side-effects (like cardio risk). Otherwise being taller means having a larger physical presence—all else equal you can lift more, reach more, see further. Like, surely it would be worse if everyone was half their current height!
“apart from the (significant) fact that it carries health side-effects (like cardio risk” there are also many other exceptions such as not being able to change direction rapidly or accelerate as fast due to having a smaller power:weight ratio and foot surface area:volume ratio and having a slower reaction time due to the length of your nerves. It would probably be worse if everyone was half their current height, and height is probably net beneficial within the human height range, but it would probably also be worse if everyone was twice as tall, for the simple reason that humans evolved to be close to their optimal height on average( as far as I am aware).
Height is not zero sum. Being taller seems clearly all-else-equal better apart from the (significant) fact that it carries health side-effects (like cardio risk). Otherwise being taller means having a larger physical presence—all else equal you can lift more, reach more, see further. Like, surely it would be worse if everyone was half their current height!
“apart from the (significant) fact that it carries health side-effects (like cardio risk” there are also many other exceptions such as not being able to change direction rapidly or accelerate as fast due to having a smaller power:weight ratio and foot surface area:volume ratio and having a slower reaction time due to the length of your nerves. It would probably be worse if everyone was half their current height, and height is probably net beneficial within the human height range, but it would probably also be worse if everyone was twice as tall, for the simple reason that humans evolved to be close to their optimal height on average( as far as I am aware).