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A Theory of Everyone with behavioral researcher Dr. Michael Muthukrishna
A Bit of Optimism
The Necessity of an Enemy for Cooperation
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The theory suggests that the presence of an enemy is necessary for the development of a cooperation system. When there is a perceived external threat, it creates the need to cooperate in order to address or defend against that threat. In the absence of an external enemy, individuals tend to look within to define an enemy, which influences the establishment of tribal barriers. The scale of competition directly influences the scale of cooperation, particularly in the face of existential threats.
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