@bsmall2 @alxd Such story, taking inspiration of iterative work of inventors, could be a nice first try, unsuccessful, followed by a whole slew of another attempts showing different ways world might go. Certainly cooperation (along with most all of the toolbox civilization has to offer) would pop up in there at some point.
Bummer that such escapism usually suffices to plaster over the pressing problems w/o really presenting a viable solution.