Reciprocity: What Goes Around Comes Around

Have you ever noticed how the world seems to mirror back how you treat it? In The Great Mental Models volume on physics, chemistry and biology, Shane Parrish invites us to think of our interactions as forces in nature: push something out, and a reaction ripples back. Think of reciprocity - the social version of “equal and opposite reaction” in physics - as a low-activation-energy model: if you give first, that low effort triggers something much bigger in return.

When you do good, you’re tapping into an ecosystem of relationships where kindness begets kindness. What goes around comes around isn’t woo-woo - it’s the inertia of social systems. You set a motion, and unless stopped, the motion continues. Conversely, when someone enjoys schadenfreude - taking pleasure in another’s downfall - they’re feeding a friction in the system. That friction slows the wheel of trust and goodwill.

Here’s the beauty: if you choose reciprocity, you become a keystone species in your own life’s ecosystem. You help others, you show up, and you build that positive momentum. Karma - if you want to call it that- is simply the consequence of this interplay of forces. And if you sideline schadenfreude and opt for supportive vibes instead, the system rewards you. Because nature doesn’t like wasted energy: it prefers flow.

So next time you’re tempted to grin at someone’s misstep, pause. Recognise that your reaction sends a signal into the network. Choose reciprocity instead. Set the motion. Trust that what goes around really does come around.