One of the topics drilled in to our heads in my Permaculture Design Course was the concept that we need more cooperation and less competition. Generally, I agree cooperation is a great thing, but when producers of a goods cooperate to create a monopoly or cartel, most everyone else gets stuck on the losing end of the game. Speaking in absolutes like “cooperation is better than competition” is problematic. Paul Wheaton published a new video where he illustrates this point in terms of what has happened in the market of light bulb options. Great video, take a look:
Light Bulbs, Mr Stinkypants and the CFL
Paul has lots more about the incandescent vs CFL debate at:
http://www.richsoil.com/CFL-