The tragedy of the commons is a theoretical problem in economics that proposes every individual has an incentive to consume a resource, but at the expense of every other individual—with no way to exclude anyone from consuming. Generally, the resource of interest is easily available to all individuals without barriers (i.e. the "commons"). This hypothetically leads to over-consumption and ultimately depletion of the common resource, to everybody's detriment. Basically, it highlights the concept of individuals neglecting the well-being of society in the pursuit of personal gain. Its accuracy and application are debated.