The article explores how different levels of altruism in a workplace can affect the behavior of both employees and their boss. If the boss doesn't have a favorite employee, everyone works hard. But if the boss likes one employee more, they might give them a bonus even if they didn't perform the best. If the boss is seen as likely to slack off, a competition won't work. But if the boss is trustworthy, everyone will work hard. If the boss is thinking of slacking off, they're more likely to do it if they don't care about the future consequences.