Tragedy of the Commons

[DISCLAIMER]

Within my blog, I provide many psychoeducational lessons on Rational Emotive Behavior Therapy (REBT). Often, this method of teaching involves the matter of thinking or believing which is rational (in accordance with both logic and reason), or not (i.e., irrational).

Here, “logic” is the interrelation or sequence of facts or events when seen as inevitable or predictable, and “reason” is a statement offered in explanation or justification. For instance, a modus ponens syllogism uses the following logical form: If p, then q; p; therefore, q.

If continuation of the human species is the foremost concern for humanity (p), then forced breeding absolutely must be required (q). Continuation of the human species is the foremost concern for humanity (p). Therefore, forced breeding absolutely must be required (q).

Although this moral and ethical proposition follows logical form, I argue that this sort of moral absolutism isn’t reasonable. Thus, I consider this syllogistic belief as that relating to irrationality. Nevertheless, I have little doubt that at least one person on this planet disagrees with my outlook.

Noteworthy, my worldview is subjective (characteristic of or belonging to reality as perceived rather than as independent of mind). Thus, not everyone agrees with what everybody else deems as rational or not. No matter how you may’ve been misled, not everyone is equal in our outlook.

Furthermore, a rational view for one person may not be considered rational by members of a group. For instance, the American Psychological Association thusly describes tragedy of the commons:

[A] social dilemma that occurs when a course of action benefiting individual members of a community in the short term is detrimental to the long-term welfare of the community.

In the original example of this dilemma, if each herdsman in a village seeks to maximize his individual gain by keeping as many of his cattle as possible on common grazing land, this will eventually make the land unusable by all, because the grass of the pasture is a limited resource.

The tragedy is that complete freedom in a society brings ruin to all. Also called commons dilemma.

I admit that my small-l libertarian perspective remains in contrast with a tragedy of the commons worldview. Specifically, I want to leave people alone and be left alone by others. Thus, I do what is rational for me, you do what is rational for you, and we don’t aggress upon one another.

Admittedly, this view is impractical (or even irrational) when considering an ideal-world versus real-world outlook. Therefore, I practice Stoicism, because I comprehend that I live within a society and not on an island of my own, as I stated in What Is Within Your Ability to Control?:

In my personal life, I’ve carefully cultivated the ability to establish tranquility despite choosing to reside within a chaotic society. This isn’t done through avoidance regarding members of the society in which I live. Rather, I do this in alignment with teachings of Epictetus (The Daily Stoic: 366 Meditations on Wisdom, Perseverance, and the Art of Living, page 25):

For if a person shifts their caution to their own reasoned choices and the acts of those choices, they will at the same time gain the will to avoid, but if they shift their caution away from their own reasoned choices to things not under their control, seeking to avoid what is controlled by others, they will then be agitated, fearful, and unstable.

As I’ve established tranquility in my own life by frequently reminding myself what is and isn’t within my ability to control, I’ve also used psychoeducational lessons with clients and others to advocate this Epictetian principle.

It isn’t unlikely that you or I will encounter many people throughout our weekly routines. As well, tragedy of the commons scenario after scenario is likely to unfold during such instances. When thinking further about this topic, I consider that one source states:

Let’s assume that the commons in question is a staff lounge. If everyone agrees to clean up after themselves and to occasionally sweep, vacuum, wipe tables, etc. (let’s say each person should clean for 15 minutes each week), the staff room will be a pleasant, comfortable place for all staff to relax and congregate.

The collectively rational course of action is for everyone in the group to clean up after themselves and spend 15 minutes a week helping clean the space. How easy! A small price to pay for the payoff of a comfortable and pleasant lounge.

HOWEVER, from a coldly utilitarian perspective, the individually rational course of action is ALWAYS to withhold your contribution and cooperation:

If you do not contribute, but everyone else does, you get a great staff place AND you don’t have to do any work.

If you do not contribute and no one else does either, you weren’t the sucker who ended up cleaning up after everyone else while still not having a clean staff room

This circumstance is ripe for the tragedy of the commons. Perhaps 75% of the people start out doing their part… Pretty soon, a few of those folks realize they are doing more work than others and decide, well… I’m just going to clean up after myself.

This leads to still more “defections.” Ultimately, the commons collapses, the staff room is a mess, and now it is not only no longer a relaxing and pleasant space, it is a source of considerable stress.

Years ago, I worked in a clinic for mental, emotional, and behavioral health (collectively “mental health”). Prospective counselors and social workers all shared common areas in the form of breakrooms, offices, and wait areas at three locations across Austin, Texas.

Each of us was highly capable of exercising rational thinking. Still, the aforementioned tragedy of the commons scenario occurred in our shared mental health spaces. Not uncommonly, I was the one who wound up cleaning the common areas in between client sessions.

When observing that other professional mental health practitioners weren’t contributing to the upkeep of our spaces, I formed a hypothesis. “If I don’t vacuum, empty the trash, or straighten couch cushions for a week,” I told myself, “I’m guessing no one else will tend to these tasks.”

As REBT incorporates the scientific method into practice of this helpful modality for rational living, I then tested my hypothesis. To my surprise, not only didn’t anyone else clean up after client sessions, one fellow clinician asked about why our spaces were so disorderly.

Rather than self-distressing or self-disturbing about the obvious lack of intellectual or emotional insight concerning my mental health professional peers, I instead relied on Stoic problem solving. After all, I live in a society, not on an island with a residency of one.

Therefore, I requested to work solely from the northern clinical office. Thereafter, I focused on cleaning the breakroom, offices, and wait area once per week. I did this with the reasonable expectation that no one else would contribute to the upkeep.

Sure, I’d likely be the only one cleaning the northern facility. Yet, I would no longer be the sucker who also maintained the central and southern shared spaces. As such, it was an acceptable form of self-compromise (to find or follow a way between extremes regarding one party’s goals).

The takeaway lesson for this blogpost is that what one individual considers rational may not be deemed rational by the group. I thought it was logical and reasonable for all mental health providers to clean our shared spaces. Yet, others apparently didn’t consider that rational.

Thus, instead of self-upsetting with irrational beliefs, I took control of the only factor I could: my reaction to the undesirable circumstance. This is a healthy example of unconditional acceptance—one worth considering as you, too, will likely experience tragedy of the commons.

If you’re looking for a provider who tries to work to help understand how thinking impacts physical, mental, emotional, and behavioral elements of your life—helping you to sharpen your critical thinking skills, I invite you to reach out today by using the contact widget on my website.

As a psychotherapist, I’m pleased to try to help people with an assortment of issues ranging from anger (hostility, rage, and aggression) to relational issues, adjustment matters, trauma experience, justice involvement, attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder, anxiety and depression, and other mood or personality-related matters.

At Hollings Therapy, LLC, serving all of Texas, I aim to treat clients with dignity and respect while offering a multi-lensed approach to the practice of psychotherapy and life coaching. My mission includes: Prioritizing the cognitive and emotive needs of clients, an overall reduction in client suffering, and supporting sustainable growth for the clients I serve. Rather than simply trying to help you to feel better, I want to try to help you get better!

Deric Hollings, LPC, LCSW

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