Enforced reciprocation

I conceived myself as a child of present and father, my progressively growing past. It has been a bewildering process of responsibility challenged by reciprocation. An imposition of commitment and submission of failure. The past and present appears to synchronize into a reciprocative duel under the pretext of self improvement and evolution. Obviously, its remedy lies in the reconciliation of the present with its perception of the past. Thus there is an submission to reciprocation.

Enforced reciprocity is an economic- social mechanism and to me a personal experience, where a person is motivated to be generous or cooperative because they anticipate a future return. It's a form of conditional cooperation, not based on altruism, but on the expectation of being repaid. The "enforcement" comes from the understanding that future interactions will provide the opportunity for a favor to be returned, and a failure to reciprocate could lead to negative consequences like a damaged reputation or the loss of future benefits. It is a strong stimuli for pro social behaviour in society.

Enforced reciprocity operates on the principle that people will be generous when they believe it will be repaid, particularly within a social network where interactions are frequent and transparent. It's a key mechanism for maintaining cooperation in situations where there's a risk of "free-riding," which is when someone benefits from the generosity of others without contributing themselves.

This concept is often studied in the context of social networks. In a close-knit community or social group, people are more likely to be helpful because their actions are visible to others. Failing to reciprocate a favor can lead to social sanctions, such as being excluded from future exchanges or losing a trusted position.

 In some cultures economics gets imbibed into the equation. In business and legal agreements, reciprocity is often enforced through formal contracts. If one party fails to uphold their end of the bargain, the other party can take legal action to enforce the agreement, ensuring the expected return is received.

Enforced Reciprocity may be challenged by other forms of cooperation. Commonly enforced reciprocity is compared with pure altruism. Altruism is a selfless act of helping others without expecting any reward. In contrast, enforced reciprocity is a calculated decision based on the expectation of a future return. While an act might appear altruistic, if it's done with the hope of a favor being returned later, it falls under enforced reciprocity. 

 Similarly preference-based reciprocity is driven by an individual's intrinsic desire to be kind to those who have been kind to them. The motivation is internal and emotional, not based on a calculated expectation of future interaction or an external threat of social punishment. Enforced reciprocity, on the other hand, is driven by the rational self-interest of preserving a relationship for future benefits.

As I clarified my understanding of the fluid but forced relationship, I wonder how I can submit to the state of enforced reciprocity with my past. The fundamental question is, what debt do I owe? Is it to the dreams I held as a child, or to the unreal visions of reality I protected throughout my life?

To me, dreams are deeply precious. They are the very reason I chose the paths I've taken at various stages. If this is true, then the destination must be indebted to the dream that guided it. This perspective also allows us to attribute the unpleasant moments and tiring nature of today to the visions of yesterday's dreams. As a result, today sends a distressed call to its fathering yesterday.

But what of the unreal visions of reality? Are they not part of the same dream, yet too ignorant to be worthy guides in a foggy moor? This, however, is a realization that only comes with the next day.

This discussion isn't about regret. Rather, it is a contemplation of how the worthiness of this relationship has become entangled in a chance conceptualization of reciprocity—a deep psychic phenomenon that seems to have a social origin rather than being caused by the self.