Game Play in Sustainability
https://www.e-education.psu.edu/geog030/node/343
As can be seen in the article “Tragedy of the Commons”, interactions with others can result in game play that ultimately impacts the environment and society. The article’s historic example of private families’ cows grazing on the Boston Commons highlights how people prefer to act in the quickest best interest of themselves first, even if at the cost of others and despite the detrimental effects in the long run. When multiple people of this mindset are confronted with a public asset, their actions soon become unsustainable. The grass in the Commons or fish in the lake can quickly run out as everyone looks to serve themselves first. The bay can quickly become polluted when every factory rationalizes that they are only dumping a small amount of trash there. However, everyone’s small contribution easily accumulates, and in the long run, the asset will no longer be useful.
Everyone is responsible for caring and keeping the environment clean and sustainable. Game play can be applied to the tragedy of the commons concept, showing that when every player only takes a small amount, everyone is able to get a sustainable amount. But when everyone is too aggressive in taking the resource, everyone will end up getting less of the asset in the long run. Like in the Hawk-Dove game explained in lecture, the equilibrium can be reached when both parties act passively rather than aggressively. However, the parties have to trust each other to both act passively, or else the distrust will quickly result in the tragedy of the commons phenomenon. It is important in today’s society’s attempt to keep Earth’s resources sustainable as businesses, communities and organizations work to make the best decisions for long-term sustainability.