The article discusses how people's social preferences influence their behavior in public goods games. While the typical strategy is to free ride, experiments show that many players choose to cooperate instead. By considering social preferences in their decision-making, individuals are more likely to contribute to public goods. Various models are explored to understand how social preferences impact public goods provision, both in theory and in real-world scenarios. The study also looks at how social preferences affect public goods provision when players interact in networks and coalitions.