At the risk of sounding overly dramatic - I think that this is a giant part of what is wrong with our industry.  Were we not all so busy watching out for each other we might actually be able to unite. 

I have always dreamed on some sort of Abstractor collective that could be formed and operate like a Vendor Management Company - but it will never happen.  We are to busy either watching our own backs or stabbing someone elses.

SOT is the closest I have seen to unity among independents (Thanks Robert!), unfortunately we seem to spend the majority of our time whining about not getting paid and abusing each other for not engaging in litigation.