Game theory and the Prisoner’s Dilemma have taught us that when each prisoner competes for himself, instead of collaborating with his fellow, they both lose. The individual pursuit of self-interest proves collectively defeating.
Winning always incurs costs. When siblings grow up in rivalry, they struggle to relate with trust and generosity. When schools celebrate the top of the class, they demotivate the rest. When the rich win tax cuts, inequality grows.
Our talent for coalitions, our ability to cooperate, even the creation of language itself—the ultimate tool for collaboration—testifies to an immense human capacity for solidarity. Altruism is hard-wired into our genes – man is a social animal, and we need tribes and friends to flourish !
Working together is human nature, and if we look carefully, we can see individuals and organizations all around us to show us how. These trailblazers know that growth, learning, and creativity always depend on a vast array of people and ideas, freely shared and generously celebrated. They appreciate that fairness, safety, and trust are essential to the unfettered exploration that generates new ideas. They don’t accept that the only measure of success is the number of losers left in the dust. And they entirely reject the idea that true achievement can be measured at any single moment in time. These are people who aren’t driven to keep score but rather are motivated by the belief that great work is done together, that efficiency is gained by trust, and that safety opens the floodgates of the mind. They have everything to teach us—and sharing is what they do best.
Notes from “A Bigger Prize” by Margaret Heffernan
It does ultimately boil down to sharing and caring. It’s Team Effort all the way.
United we Stand Divided we Fall.