Not to be confused with cooperatives or co-optation
Cooperation or Mutual Aid is the process of groups of organisms working or acting together for common, mutual, or some underlying benefit, as opposed to working in competition for selfish benefit. It's been argued extensively that cooperation is the not only the building block of humanity, but all life and reality itself.
Examples of Cooperation
- Atoms cooperate in a simple way, by combining to make up molecules.
- The components in a cell work together to keep it living.
- Neurons create thought and consciousness, other cells work together and communicate to produce multicellular organisms.
- Organisms form food chains and ecosystems.
- People form families, communities, cities, economies and cultures.