TomHirschfeld

well if we dont kill the poor, what will we eat in 20 years after global warming ravages the earth

cornell.2012

Why would you choose a lifeboat though?
Survival isn't necessarily a zero-sum game- its not if they win, we lose.

What about investing in technological research and medical research, and hoping that changes the situation?
Or providing population control advice- etc.

aisgzdavinci

there is enough food to go around, it's just that it's being sent to the wrong places. I think what that Hardin guy wanted to say is that they must eliminate mentally ill people.

azsxdc

what. a. jerk.

aisgzdavinci

Wait, that article is WAY outdated. India with a pop of 600 million????

MetdethGNR

Of course it's "outdated"! Hardin died in 2003 at 81! He wrote this way back. In the 70s I believe.


Please tell me you guys have studied Hardin at one point or another. Human Geo? TOK? Literature? Philosophy???

southeasttitan

The basic metaphor is false. The United States is riding on a giant luxury lifeboat that could easily accomodate more people--thousands upon thousands more. But it would mean giving up some measure of comfort and space to help them, and we don't want to do that.

If anybody should die, it should be that dude.

Liist

Or we should just stop outbreeding dead people and let everyone naturally die off.

ali_mayhem

Umm we(the u.s) actually DON'T have room for ''thousands and thousands more'' our economy is in a major slump and a global recession is almost certain in the near future.I totally agree with Hardin.If we bring in more people,they need a way to suppost themselves(jobs) well as it is now millions are being laid off because their jobs are being sent elsewhere or being eliminated all together.since febuary alone over 63,000 jobs have been lost.and with our 'open door policy' more immigrants are willing to work for less money,further eliminating more jobs. When we enter recession its going to the worst since ww2.

And for the poster(I forgot) who said the poor stay poor.your right our govt is more of a capitalist govt than a socialist or communist.the ones in power(usually born into it) want to stay in power.

Poseur

And do you think this is okay? "Life isn't fair"? That's arguable -- I'm not saying either answer is wrong; I just want to know what you think. Do you think that in an ideal situation the number of people below the poverty line would be fewest, or do you think that things are okay how they are?

ali_mayhem

^^ I don't think it's fair.i think it's BS.I think in an idea situation ,people below the poverty line would be few.things are def not ok how they are obv. But our government is so corrupt and worried about other countries and not what's happening here. However I also do not think TRUE communism would work either.even though True communist never has/will be in existance.I think you need an equal balnce but in the past few decades capitalism has taken over.I think as a country we should help each other and use our right to overthrow a govt when they fail you.and no im not sayiing 'its all bush's falt' a lot of the things happening now have been in a rolling effect since the late 80's(although he didn't help & is a quack lol)......sorry so long hehe

southeasttitan

"Umm we(the u.s) actually DON'T have room for ''thousands and thousands more'' our economy is in a major slump and a global recession is almost certain in the near future.I totally agree with Hardin.If we bring in more people,they need a way to suppost themselves(jobs) well as it is now millions are being laid off because their jobs are being sent elsewhere or being eliminated all together.since febuary alone over 63,000 jobs have been lost.and with our 'open door policy' more immigrants are willing to work for less money,further eliminating more jobs. When we enter recession its going to the worst since ww2."

I don't mean ACTUALLY letting them into the country, I mean letting them into the figurative lifeboat of privilege. Like, maybe stop spending upwards of a trillion dollars on a worthless war and giving the help and resources to people--in our country and outside of it--who need it.

Poseur

I agree. When my friend challenged the feasibility of large-scale social reform aimed at eliminating poverty, he asked me where the government would get the money. I said that I wouldn't mind taking a couple billion out of our armament funds, to which he replied: "True... I wouldn't mind cutting it in half."

football

I think the author should be deprived of food for two weeks.

Panglossian

The planet will balance itself soon enough, just like it has for the past 3 or so billion years there's been life on it. Too many people on it? Hang tight, some epic disaster will sort everything out in due time.