The idea that since no one owns a common are (e.g., a public park) that no one takes care of it
The rundown condition of the park was another example of the tragedy of the commons
by Robbo August 28, 2003
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The fact that unregulated resources that are held in common are exploited to the point where they lose their usefulness.

Commonly used to argue that having any resources (parks, etc.) held in common will always lead to their destruction. Especially by libertarians and people who want corporate welfare.
We could make this publically-owned pristine forest into a public park Governor, but that would only lead to the tragedy of the commons. Let's sell it to the logging intrests instead! Since they'll have ownership over the land, they'll have good reason to take care of it.
by Colonoscopy October 30, 2003
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The moment when you realize you can't satiate your desire for chick-fil-a because it's Sunday and they are closed.
Person 1: "I need some chicken minis and sweet tea in my belly asap."
Person 2: "Um.... It's Sunday."
Person 1: "Noooooo, it's a chick-a-tragedy for real!"
by WhatsNormal47 April 23, 2015
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It some fancy term used by hyper-intelligent retards that talks about cows, cheese, enclosure, over grassing, and shit (Like tons of shit, like holy shit cows shit a lot). But the term is an allusion to the relation of the idea that an individual Nation-State will fuck over the world to achieve it's short-term desire like a teen girl who hasn't discovered the wonders of the pill, compared to the idea of Nation-States coming together to achieve long term goals together like some basic assholes that you'ed expect political ass-hats to do.
You know what else is like The Tragedy of the Commons, Deez Nuts!
by Emerson ain't got shit on me December 4, 2017
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When news outlets throw out every nugget of information they have, no matter how insignificant, during a national tragedy to garner traffic.
The news did a three page story on that spree killer’s green shirt. Straight up tragedy mining.
by R.Crab October 3, 2017
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So you blogged that bitch and she gave you the noise. Dude, that's a surfin' tragedy
by Major Hoople February 9, 2004
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a retard who loses control and has no soul
oh my god he's such a retardation tragedy!
by Squilliam November 12, 2006
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