Extraterritoriality='s Not Sharing Information?, Functions of Extraterritoriality Options

[Paul]

So one of the entrenched institutions of the Shadowrun is the concept that Extraterritoriality automatically seems to equate to an unwillingness to share information, and an inability to cooperate beyond a basic level between agencies, governments and corporations. This has always bothered me, for a variety of reasons.

Now for some background: I work in a Law Enforcement agency, and I have liaised with a number of local, state and federal agencies as a part of the gang task force I work on. I also have several friends who work for local, state and federal agencies. So this likely colors at least some of how I see things. I just wanted my bias to be upfront-even though I am going to try and take an impartial look at this issue.

So I can see, reasonably, with the fracturing of nation States -and the resulting diminished presence they now have-that Mega Corporations can field nearly similar levels of resources, and given that some of these companies have a good sixty or so years of institutional cultures I can see tensions existing en the various agencies, especially in sensitive matters. Especially where proprietary data, properties and competitive interest's were involved. So there are definitely frayed edges that can be exploited-whether through a combination of proper planning or good luck and timing.

However the way I often read conversations on this board, and the feel I get from the books is that this is so common place that as I see it society would fail to function in any semblance of order. And some of you say, A ha Paul that's the point! Shadowrun is dystopic! It doesn't function like the world we know! And to a point I agree-however it seems to me that unless there's a significant reason not to cooperate there's nothing to be gained from not cooperating. Sort of an oligarchic collective-"It's better that we rule, then them."

So what I'm hoping to do here-with out examining our own present day beliefs and prejudices; politics or personal preferences-is explore just how we collectively see extraterritoriality functioning. What are the ins? The outs? What areas make sense for there to be cooperative efforts? What areas would be anyone's game?