Comment by csee

You're conflating fiat, which is always zero sum when it changes hands in a transaction, with utility and value, which usually is positive sum. When I buy a phone, I am losing $500 to get something that cost $400 to make, and the phone company made $100. But I gained about $2000 worth of hidden value from that transaction because my life got way better and easier! That's why it wasn't zero sum and that's part of the explanation for wealth creation.