Theos-Talk Archives (January 1997 Message tl00088)

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> From: Tom Robertson <mdmgyn@worldnet.att.net>
> 
> On Mon, 6 Jan 97, "Ann E. Bermingham" <safron@concentric.net> wrote:
> >----------
> >> From: Tom Robertson <mdmgyn@worldnet.att.net>
> >> 
> >> . . .  Too much cooperation destroys individual strength.    
> >> 
> >We'd be knocking each other out of the way to help each
> >other and probablly be on our way to the next level of the game.
> 
> This reflects the unrealistic assumption that human beings are
trustworthy.
> 
> The more people that are involved in a cooperative agreement, the more
> likely it is that at least one individual will cheat on the agreement. 
And
> it only takes one apple to spoil the whole pie, or, as Jesus said, "a
> little leaven leavens the whole lump of dough."  One cheater can wipe out
> all the gains of many people involved in an agreement.  The less that
> people's results are connected to their own efforts, the less incentive
> they have to act.  The more that people trust each other, the more profit
> there is in cheating, since it will not be expected, and the number of
> cheaters will increase.  The less that people trust each other, the less
> profit there will be in cheating, and the number of cheaters will
decrease.
> There is an equilibrium level of cheating.  Too much cooperation is when
> people trust each other more than is justified, the inevitable result
being
> that losses due to cheating, compared to the benefits of the agreement,
are
> more than they would be at the optimal level.  
> 
Sounds like you've been burned.  

My statement regarding "too much cooperation" refers to some 
future time in the evolution of humanity.  What you're describing is
the current level of soap opera that pervades our lives.

-AEB



> "A conservative is a liberal who has been mugged by reality."