Do you believe in cooperation?

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Do you believe that if people took more care of each other's needs rather than take care of own needs at the other's expense, then everyone would be happier?

(Note: I'm not asking if it's possible at this stage of human evolution or to what extent, only if you believe in cooperation as a better way for everyone)

I voted "yes of course."

Competitive behaviour is inherently very wasteful, because by definition you've got people pushing in opposite directions, so there's a lot of energy going in but the only result is that of the difference between the opposing forces, which is a tiny fraction of the sum of those forces that you'd have if there were complete co-operation.

it's not always possible to take care of others' needs, but it's surely possible to be cognizant of them and to respect that other peoples needs and lifestyle choices differ from your own and to give them non-judgmental space to be themselves.

I voted "Yes and No".

Cooperation works in theory, just like communism works on paper. In real life, there would be people taking advantage of a cooperative arrangement.

Cooperation amonst equals is pretty cool. But if you've got just one moocher or an incompetent or a manipulative socopath in your midst, then the entire system breaks down.

It would not work in real life.

Reminder: I mean do you think it's valuable, not do you think it's possible.

I think society as a whole could make better provisions for people with AS instead of trying to pressure us into unsuitable categories. In my current situation, I have to exaggerate the problems I regard as less important just to get the money I need to live on. I would rather have an open and frank discussion about the difficulties I have, but the DWP would use my candour as an excuse to give me less money. They make it so my energies are constantly going in the wrong direction; if they just left me alone and let me figure out my problems in my own way and in my own time, I would have a lot more enthusiasm for finding employment. Instead, they make my life difficult and leave me feeling angry and demotivated.

Last edited by EnglishInvader on 08 Oct 2009, 8:21 pm, edited 3 times in total.

This question reminds me of an episode of the "Fairly Odd Parents" that I watched with the kiddos yesterday. I wish I could find a clip of it...

It was 2 basketball teams-one that always lost vs. another. The reason the one ALWAYS lost is because they each had their own ball and would not share it, and they wouldn't move from their spots on the floor. They kept saying things like "this is my spot, I'm not moving anywhere" "this is my ball-get your own".

The other team got out there and the dialogue went something like:

"Here, you take the ball" "no, you take the ball" "here, have the ball" "have the keys to my car" "have the keys to my house!" (big group hug) "I love you guys"

*******

Okay, so you probably had to see it, and if you did, you know what I'm talking about. But I see it as being a pretty good comparison to RL.

I think cooperation is great, even if it isn't always possible. Ideally, it's wonderful. If no one ever cooperated, we'd wind up with a ton of people with individual ideas on how to do things, arguing that theirs was the best all of the time, and nobody listening to it... so it would be a bunch of GREAT ideas out there, accomplishing nothing, because nobody would bother to help anyone put them to use.

We've had some great people in the past with really excellent ideas... but we would know nothing of them if nobody sat down and listened to anything, or just said "that is stupid, my idea is better".

A lot of things could be considered cooperation... just sitting there and listening to someone's idea and encouraging it. I would personally consider that cooperation because you have to be WILLING to do it. Maybe my idea of it is too broad, I'm not sure.

Oh I want to see that episode!

[youtube]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=L8WVG9CuSpQ[/youtube]

It's not the part I'm talking about, but the beginning of the show, which actually equally portrays what I'm talking about in a way, lol. A bit hard to watch as it's someone holding the camera watching the TV, but it balances out after a bit.

cuuute, thanks!!

I say to a point it can be valuable, but that's why I voted "yes and no". When you work somewhere with a lot of other people, team work can be vital. At the same time the old "there's no I in team" BS basically recognizes mediocrity.

It's about using each persons' strengths to the advantage of the team, and giving proper credit where it's due.

The reason I voted the way I did is because it only works to an extent; usually, the folks who are just that damn good realize it, and move on to pursue other things to improve their own lives even further. The people left behind usually have little motivation to pursue higher goals that the folks who left did. Many of those folks would gladly even attempt to drag others down to feel temporary/false satisfaction about their own lives.

Hell, ya see it all the time with most people.

And no, Communism does not work on paper; I've read the Communist Manifesto...I could literally replace the roll of bath tissue I have near the latrine with it. It's that bad. As even Ronald Reagan once said:

"How do you tell a Communist? Well, it's someone who reads Marx and Lenin. And how do you tell an anti-Communist? It's someone who understands Marx and Lenin."

It's pretty much an extreme form of the idea: "bust your ass all your life at your job, but take only what you need, not what you earned, cause others need it more".

Need I remind you that millions were killed in the name of Communism too; why don't you hear as extensively about these folks? Oh right...they wouldn't tell you exactly what went on in these countries would they? Of course not...they're not stupid enough to tell you what an utter failure the ideas actually are...whether they're in practice or on paper.

Yes, I can understand this. But while you haven't moved on yet to higher achievements, why not cooperate? Eg: I have a friend. I own a car, she doesn't. So I always drive her when we go out together, and even when she needs to go places that are hard to reach without a car or a job interview, or a hospital. I live very far from the center of the city, so I can't stay out late because I have to drive home earlier than the others. Since she lives 5 minutes from the center, I stay over at her place each time we go out together till late or if I have something important early morning in the city and it's not practical to drive home, so I save on gas. I have a second home in the city. I have another friend. She doesn't own a car and lives very near the center of the city. She never offered, so I never stay over. In turn, I stopped driving her. She deals with her lack of transportation by spending a lot on taxis and missing out on events that she can't reach wiithout a car. In turn, I deal with my distance from the city by spending a lot on gas and missing out on events that are late. Which is better?

Theoretically YES.

Wouldn't it be a wonderful world.

Problem is, I'm not much of a team player so it would probably have to begin with the NT

You may also be forgetting that those who don't have the motivation usually have another motive: jealousy

Those who are jealous of those who want more, and work to strive for more, will usually do everything in their power to pull that person down. They call it "leveling the playing field". It totally isn't, but it's the only way they feel better about themselves.

Like I said, it works, but only to an extent.

The idea that "people would take advantage of those who want to cooperate" ignores that if you are cooperating with others, you have their best interests at heart; and therefore, if someone took advantage, would prevent them from doing so because benefiting at the expense of others is not in anyone's best interest, morally or psychologically. It simply doesn't make you happy.

Actually cooperating with other people, acting to benefit others, doesn't mean being submissive, because other people do not benefit from your being submissive.