In the natural world, resource coordination among animals often demonstrates the profound benefits of cooperative behavior, both in immediate survival and in securing long-term advantages. Birds, for instance, provide a fascinating example of this phenomenon. Certain species of birds take turns in watching over their hatchlings while their partners forage for food. This rotating labor ensures that their offspring have a higher chance of survival, thereby promoting the continuation of their DNA. The rewards of such cooperation are immediate and clear—successful rearing of the next generation.
Cooperation Among Relatives and Flocks
The benefits of resource coordination extend beyond immediate family members to relatives and even the entire flock. Supporting relatives can be advantageous since they share a significant portion of an individual's DNA. This kind of support ensures that genetic material similar to one's own is passed on, which indirectly benefits the individual. Moreover, flocks working together to build nests or protect each other from predators showcase how collective effort can yield greater survival benefits for the group as a whole. These cooperative behaviors illustrate an early form of resource pooling, where the collective strength and mutual aid of the group enhance the survival prospects of each member.
Signaling for Group Support
While immediate benefits of cooperation are evident, the dynamics of longer-term benefits add a layer of complexity. When the help provided does not yield an immediate return, signaling through common calls and songs, becomes crucial. For instance, when a bird’s nest needs repair and the birds in question are not direct kin, the individual needing help must signal its need effectively while also indicating a capacity for future reciprocity more broadly as part of a larger flock willing to reciprocate.
In example Arabian Babblers (Turdoides squamiceps) live in cooperative groups where individuals help each other with tasks such as nest building, feeding, and defending the territory. The cooperative behavior among Arabian Babblers is not limited to immediate family members but extends to the entire group, enhancing the survival and reproductive success of all members.
Arabian Babblers use specific calls and behaviors to signal their need for help and their willingness to reciprocate in the future. When a babbler's nest needs repair, the bird will emit specific calls to alert other group members. These calls act as a signal of distress and a request for assistance. The responding birds, although not direct kin, will come to help because of the established pool of trust and the understanding that their cooperative behavior will be reciprocated in the future.
Additionally, Arabian Babblers engage in allopreening (mutual grooming) and food sharing as part of their cooperative behavior. Allopreening not only helps in maintaining the health and hygiene of the birds but also strengthens social bonds and ensures that the individuals involved are more likely to support each other in future cooperative tasks. By engaging in these mutual activities, Arabian Babblers build a system of trust and reciprocity that benefits the entire group.
Proto-Social Protocols in Primates
Among primates, particularly bonobos, resource coordination takes various sophisticated forms such as grooming, food sharing, coalition formation, and cooperative hunting. These behaviors enhance group cohesion and individual survival. Primates engage in reciprocal altruism, where the aid provided to one member is expected to be returned in the future, thereby strengthening social bonds and ensuring mutual support.
Humans, as supposedly advanced primates, have developed complex languages and cultural practices to signal the need for group support and ensure reciprocity. Various cultures have unique terms for these practices, such as "Bee" among early Celtic Britons, "Corvee" in ancient France, "Talkoot" in Scandinavia, and "Mweria" among the Giriama in Kenya - and many more across all indigenous cultures. These terms all refer to calls for collective effort and support within a community, reflecting the deep-rooted nature of proto-social protocols in human society.
While these ancient forms of resource coordination have diminished in the last century so too has the health of our global ecosystem. I believe studying and reviving proto-social practices can teach us a lot about sustainable and evolved practices to build healthy social infrastructures.
Commitment Pooling as a Proto-Social Protocol
The concept of commitment pooling, as developed into digital cyber-social protocols on distributed ledger systems (Celo blockchain) by Grassroots Economics Foundation, seeks to embody these proto-social protocols. Commitment pooling aggregates individual commitments to reciprocity (like gift cards) into collective pools (like curated markets), ensuring that resources and support can be distributed fairly and effectively within the community. This system allows for long-term reciprocity and larger group formation, mirroring the cooperative behaviors observed in animal species and early human societies.
As commitment pools expand and interconnect, the reciprocity extends beyond immediate interactions to encompass what may appear as altruistic and even ecological relationships, mimicking the extended the mutualistic relationship between trees and birds. This interconnected network of commitments ensures that resources are available when needed, fostering a resilient and supportive community and living ecosystem.
The multiplier effect of resource coordination observed in animal species provides insights into the evolution and development of proto-social protocols in human societies. I see people every day beginning to pool their commitments together and re-weave healthy social infrastructures. Join them.