The Evolution of Collaboration, and How a Marketplace of Ideas is Shaping Our World


Communication and collaboration have been the key elements of societal development since humans settled into organized agricultural communities over 10,000 years ago. As communities formed, people stopped relying on themselves for survival, and formed markets in which goods and services can be exchanged. This created an incentive for specialization and established a vehicle for progress through assistance.

 In a 2005 TED talk, Howard Rheingold, social media expert and author of The Virtual Community, examined the evolution of collaboration to explain why the world today relies so heavily on the exchange of ideas. 

"From literate populations, new forms of collective action emerged in the spheres of knowledge, religion, and politics. We saw scientific revolutions, the Protestant Reformation, and constitutional monarchies possible where they had not been possible before." 
 -Howard Rheingold

Rheingold sites the creation of a "marketplace for solutions" as an altruistic solution to the classic prisoner's dilemma. By creating an environment of assured benefit, collaborators are free to exchange ideas and achieve new levels of scientific, social, and creative progress.

For an example of contemporary collaboration, check out In B flat. The musical project, created by New Jersey based composer Darren Solomon, combines content submitted by users across the globe. All submissions are arranged in the key of b flat, and can be played in any combination to create an interactive and unique musical experience.