In this blog post, we will examine the selfish attitudes of modern society through the phenomenon of free riding in university teamwork and consider why it is important to live righteously.
During our college years, we sometimes witness “free riding.” This refers to situations where certain members of a team do not participate actively in a team project but receive the same grade as others. This situation affects not only the completion of the project but also the trust and cooperation between team members. In modern society, where teamwork is emphasized, free riding is not just a part of college life but has become an important issue that can cause problems throughout society. We call these people “free riders.” From the perspective of the observer, it is natural to feel angry. So, is there an effective way to eliminate free riding? Here, I will discuss solutions to the free riding phenomenon and, through this, consider the reasons for living correctly.
What conditions must be met for free riding to occur? I believe two conditions must be met. First, regardless of the degree of participation, all group members must receive the same grade. This condition aims for equality in grades, but at the same time, it can undermine fairness. Second, all group members must be in the same position. In this case, certain group members cannot coerce or disadvantage others, and since everyone’s grades are ultimately the same, free riding occurs by people who do not care much about their grades and have no conscience. This problem can be even more complicated in universities, where students from diverse backgrounds and with different values come together. Therefore, restricting group activities so that the above two conditions are not met will reduce free riding.
There are various methods, but I believe the following is one of the most effective. First, reduce the weight of the group score. However, if it is reduced too much, the meaning of group activities themselves may be diluted, so it is important to find the right balance. A ratio of approximately 6:4 between group scores and individual scores would be an effective system. Since the group score carries more weight, the individual scores cannot be ignored, and this will encourage individuals to work harder and contribute more. It is also worth considering introducing an anonymous evaluation system for group evaluations so that each member can evaluate their own contribution and that of other members. This can be an effective way to encourage honest feedback among group members and discourage free riding.
Second, differentiate the positions of each team member. In other words, appoint one team member as the team leader to evaluate the other team members, and divide the team activities into several parts so that all team members take turns as team leaders without discrimination. This will give each team member a sense of responsibility and allow them to see whether other team members are working hard in each activity due to differences in position, and compare themselves with others. This process will cultivate leadership and cooperation, and deepen mutual understanding and respect among team members. Applying this method will undoubtedly reduce free riding.
However, free riding in university group activities is not limited to that context. Broadly speaking, it is related to how people approach life. In other words, we must ask ourselves whether we should live righteously or whether we should do what is convenient for us in the moment. Ethical dilemmas in modern society are not simply a matter of individual choice, but are deeply rooted in the structure and culture of society as a whole. I do not believe that people must live righteously, but I do argue that living righteously is better for the individual than not doing so.
Here, living right means not only refraining from evil deeds but also engaging in altruistic behavior, and it applies to people living in the modern age. The moral standards of modern people have become more complex and multifaceted than in the past. There are two main reasons for this.
First, the world has become a smaller place. With the development of communication technology and social networking services (SNS), people are much closer to each other than in the past. In such a society, even if you happen to do something together with someone you passed by, even if it is something trivial, it is unlikely that you will never see that person again in your life, and even if you do not see them again, you may become acquainted with them through social networks at any time. Therefore, in our daily lives where we encounter many people, the importance of altruistic behavior has increased. This is because if you act selfishly, there is a high possibility that it will come back to you in the form of disadvantage when you meet that person or someone you know through a mutual acquaintance. Furthermore, such networks can quickly spread an individual’s reputation, which can have a direct impact on their work and social activities.
Second, we can cite social “birds of a feather flock together.” People go out into society and work and live as members of various social groups and specific organizations or communities. However, in most cases, the members of these organizations are not bound together by a single common characteristic, but are divided into two or more groups with different characteristics in terms of personality or attitude. Here, let’s talk about when the criteria for this division are altruism and selfishness. Suppose that within a certain group, a person named A, who is altruistic, witnesses the selfish behavior of a person named B. A will judge that B’s tendencies are contrary to his own and will avoid B. The same will be true when other altruistic people encounter selfish people, and eventually, they will be divided into two groups. One group will be selfish, and the other will be altruistic. This is not simply a division between the two groups, but rather, due to the exclusivity of the altruistic group, people who are not accepted into the group gather together to form their own group. The selfish group will be reluctant to help or cooperate with each other, which will prevent them from increasing efficiency and allocating resources efficiently through cooperation. This will cause the selfish group to be eliminated, and in the long run, the altruistic group will benefit.
So far, we have considered the benefits of free riding and having an altruistic attitude in life. In the end, we concluded that living correctly includes acting altruistically, and as explained above, modern society is a society where it is difficult to survive in the long run if you are selfish. Furthermore, this attitude is closely related to an individual’s mental health. If you live “correctly,” there will surely come a time when such an attitude will help and benefit you.
