I wrote this in a conflict-theory way but the mistake-theory version might be equally important. Ruthlessness/malice aren’t necessary. Sometimes an agent doesn’t appreciate the costs here; improper credit assignment often naively makes sense. Sometimes a bureaucracy misallocates credit by default despite not even being agent-y enough to be ruthlessly goal-directed. And sometimes people just incorrectly opt not to take credit.
To be clear this is all epistemic status: a priori musings, which might be helpful but you shouldn’t defer to, inspired by some real events. It is not all observed facts.
I wrote this in a conflict-theory way but the mistake-theory version might be equally important. Ruthlessness/malice aren’t necessary. Sometimes an agent doesn’t appreciate the costs here; improper credit assignment often naively makes sense. Sometimes a bureaucracy misallocates credit by default despite not even being agent-y enough to be ruthlessly goal-directed. And sometimes people just incorrectly opt not to take credit.
To be clear this is all epistemic status: a priori musings, which might be helpful but you shouldn’t defer to, inspired by some real events. It is not all observed facts.