The article discusses how social cooperation can be difficult due to certain conditions. In situations like the prisoner's dilemma game, it may seem better for individuals not to cooperate, even though cooperation leads to better outcomes for everyone. This dilemma arises because players are tempted to act in their own best interest, even if it harms others. The arms race between superpowers is compared to this dilemma, where each side can predict the other's actions to decide whether to cooperate or not.