Tragedy of the Commons
The “tragedy of the commons” states that in some cases, when individuals act independently of each other and in their own self-interest, it can actually be detrimental overall to the group that the individuals are in by depleting the common resource. Common examples are rhinoceroses (because rhinos don’t belong to anyone, poachers are mindlessly murdering them for their valuable horns; soon rhinos will be extinct) and global warming (countries pollute the air because their aren’t any direct/immediate repercussions, but in the long term, there will be extreme consequences for the earth).
An example that may seem more relatable to us is the extra credit challenge. Numerous stories over the years have come up about a professor offering two free points or six free points added to everyone’s grades. However, there’s a caveat. If more than 10% of the class selects six points, then no one gets any points. It is clear that everyone should play it safe and only select two points so as to not risk the chance of too many people choosing six points, and thus no one benefiting in the end. Unfortunately, most of the time when this situation comes up, too many people choose six points and ruins the bonus for their peers. Some people are willing to risk more points for no points because it is in their best interest, and they don’t want to miss out on the opportunity to earn more points. However, if too many people have this mindset, then it is counterproductive.
How does this relate to the tragedy of the commons? Well, if students were acting independently of others, then the most beneficial choice would be to choose six points. But because of the catch, if only 10% of the class were to act in their own interest, let alone the whole class, then no one benefits. This example shows that it is in the group’s (the class’s) best interest to be mindful about their personal decision, which can be generalized to all tragedy of the commons situations.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/posteverything/wp/2015/07/20/why-i-give-my-students-a-tragedy-of-the-commons-extra-credit-challenge/