A multipolar trap, as described by Jamie Wheal, is a complex phenomenon where multiple actors, each driven by individual rational incentives, collectively produce a suboptimal or detrimental outcome, often contrary to the group's overall best interests. This scenario unfolds in systems wherein competitive pressures force individuals or organizations to adopt strategies that, while beneficial in the short term or on an isolated basis, ultimately lead to a race to the bottom due to a lack of coordination and mutual agreement. The result is a dilemma where no single player can unilaterally change course without incurring a significant disadvantage, leaving everyone trapped in a downward spiral of increasingly negative consequences. Like a socio-economic quicksand, the multipolar trap underscores the pressing need for cooperative frameworks and visionary leadership to navigate and mitigate its pervasive effects.

See also: delta wave, flow state, altered state, peak experience, peak performance