It’s possible we have gossip to thank for man’s ability to collectively cooperate.
What separates man from animal is our ability to cooperate en masse. We have the ability to communicate better, and more intricately than any other species in history. This allows us to cooperate across vast swaths of humanity.
➡️ About 150 people is natural limit for how large a group can exist when it’s based on close social ties.
Above that, the ties get too diluted and weak. So we have to rely on less direct information about who is and who is not trustworthy. Credit scores, social scores, and general gossip allow for individuals to gain some benefits of being “in” a group, without really having to be part of it.