stateofequilibrium
03-28-2004, 07:12 PM
Who here has read the article called The Tragedy of the Commons?
Basically, the commons refers to "public" land which also includes the whole wide world and those that utilize the "public" land, or the people of the Earth. Within the commons we can think of land, sea, water and air and all their attributes and services. Such as energry, crops, fertilization, recycling, fresh air, drinkable water, space.. etc.
With that being said, 'The Tragedy of the Commons' deals with the "cheating" in the usage of the commons. Where when each person seeks to gain a little extra for themselves (the idea of Capitalism), it equals a distrubted negative fitness across the board. Such as if a person decides to have another baby, that baby will take away X amount of resources from Y total amount of resources the world has, and so forth and so forth.
Of course, that was a very simplified ideal of the what the tragedy of the commons is. But you get the picture when each person decides that they want a litte bit more, each little bit more has an inherent cost factor in the Earth's resources, including livable space.
The amount of viable resources the Earth has to sustain human life of course constantly changes due to technology, we supposedly were supposed to cap out a few hundred years ago at our maximum sustainable population, but technology has enabled us to continually grow. The UN, rather unscientifically, has estimated that we will cap out around 2050 at approximately 17 billion.
Regardless of the timeline to our population cap, the question is this: What happens to morality?
Right now, at least in the Westernized states, we are outraged at the concept of death. Our goals are directed at extending, sustaining and producing life. But what happens when life itself becomes a detriment to the human population? When the resources are maxed out and additional burdens would cost more than we can afford?
How does our conceived notions of morality change? I guess we can look at some countries where resources are extremely tight and see how they view life.. cheaply. Is that what's going to happen? Or do we change our concepts of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" for the greater good?
We take our freedoms for granted because we can AFFORD it. But what happens when we can't?
I know it's pretty much far into the future, when we're gray and old, if in our lifetime at all. But what happens then?
Basically, the commons refers to "public" land which also includes the whole wide world and those that utilize the "public" land, or the people of the Earth. Within the commons we can think of land, sea, water and air and all their attributes and services. Such as energry, crops, fertilization, recycling, fresh air, drinkable water, space.. etc.
With that being said, 'The Tragedy of the Commons' deals with the "cheating" in the usage of the commons. Where when each person seeks to gain a little extra for themselves (the idea of Capitalism), it equals a distrubted negative fitness across the board. Such as if a person decides to have another baby, that baby will take away X amount of resources from Y total amount of resources the world has, and so forth and so forth.
Of course, that was a very simplified ideal of the what the tragedy of the commons is. But you get the picture when each person decides that they want a litte bit more, each little bit more has an inherent cost factor in the Earth's resources, including livable space.
The amount of viable resources the Earth has to sustain human life of course constantly changes due to technology, we supposedly were supposed to cap out a few hundred years ago at our maximum sustainable population, but technology has enabled us to continually grow. The UN, rather unscientifically, has estimated that we will cap out around 2050 at approximately 17 billion.
Regardless of the timeline to our population cap, the question is this: What happens to morality?
Right now, at least in the Westernized states, we are outraged at the concept of death. Our goals are directed at extending, sustaining and producing life. But what happens when life itself becomes a detriment to the human population? When the resources are maxed out and additional burdens would cost more than we can afford?
How does our conceived notions of morality change? I guess we can look at some countries where resources are extremely tight and see how they view life.. cheaply. Is that what's going to happen? Or do we change our concepts of "life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness" for the greater good?
We take our freedoms for granted because we can AFFORD it. But what happens when we can't?
I know it's pretty much far into the future, when we're gray and old, if in our lifetime at all. But what happens then?