The post-Cold War optimism surrounding mutually beneficial agreements has faded into irrelevance. Today's geopolitical landscape is dominated by zero-sum competition, where one party's gain directly translates to another's loss. This fundamental shift reflects changing global power dynamics, rising nationalism, and increased resource scarcity. The collaborative mindset that once promised shared prosperity now appears naive, replaced by strategic rivalries and transactional relationships that prioritize national interests above collective advancement.

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