[chimpanzee]

The signal is for the hats. Black hats may be more likely to attack. White hats will find better things to do. Some might even swap hats.

[akerl_]

You’ve described a totally different “signal” than the comment I replied to.

[chimpanzee]

I guess I should have made it clearer by making the implicit explicit:

“The signal isn’t to pay white hats more, instead…”

And perhaps an addendum such as:

“…which will then, indirectly and in the long run, create the signal you were replying to.”