win-win

when we talk about co-operation, it usually happens (i presume) that all the concerned involved are aware of the possible benefits that would accrue on co-opearting and the harms that would result from doing so. but when there are incentives for people to defect from the common understanding, there are high probabilites that a person/group would do so, and why not when they are going to benefit from it. (this is what probably happened in the game). so is co-operation a good word to just talk about, does it actually carry some meaning, will people co-operate on their own, when there are incentives for defecting. i dont think so. i think people on their own will not co-operate, when the situation is such.......rather they have to be forced to co-operate with some dis-incentives on failing to do so and this co-operation must be beneficial for the whole as well as for the part. indeed we all are a part of the larger whole.......but it depends on how we view it......for some the whole may be they themselves, for some their households and family, for some their country (a bit rare) and for some the whole humanity (even rarer). it depends on which whole we identify ourselves as a part of, and accordingly our actions will be shaped. comments solicited.................