Academic Papers : Lifetime Collection

Social Arrangements for Environmental Management

A Synopsis on The Tragedy of the Commons by Garrett Hardin

There is no technical solution but rather ways to resolve problems. Just as how Garrett Hardin put the population problem as an example, as to how humans take technical ways as the solution, increasing the production number of human needs and so, but in the end, if humans would just realize, it's not the real solution but rather a temporary resort to alleviate the problem. 

Population growth is a natural phenomenon and is believed to grow multiplicatively over time. Instead of continuously resorting to temporary choice and piece to fit the puzzle of alleviating the suffering brought by the overwhelming population, it is suggested that humans rather focus on opening their conscious minds to the reality that the space for human life is finite, no matter how humans are conscious of infinity or unconscious of the finiteness of the universe. As the human place is known to be finite, the population of humans should be also expected as finite because both if left unbalanced, will gradually destroy each other. If humans will continue to let the population grow while resorting to temporary response, in return, most possibly when the resources cannot sustain anymore the intake of humans, the thought of humans will limit their consumption could happen in the end. 

The trial of possible solutions has been rarely researched and studied, thus, if happens, would take a lot of time. Multiple factors should be taken into consideration, from the reasons, effects, processes, who will benefit and will be affected, and the likes since one's needs are incomparable to another. Therefore, the thing that humans should take into consideration to maximize is the thought of rather than prioritizing individual interest, if humans are driven by public interest, the optimum population and living could be attained. 

Humans are naturally made to desire for his or her gains, the consideration of who will be affected and the costs will later approach behind of the what more he or she could attain with such desires. For the time being, it was not that much of a concern since humans intend to cover sufferings, but at the later page, on late generations, the real exchange would be expected to realize. Abusive manifestation of one's privilege counts regretful impact in the end. 

Other than population, one of the most alarming problems over time is the continuously increasing emission of pollution in all forms. Unlike population that leads to an increase in greed and desire of humans, pollution is the growing negligence and irresponsibility of human beings in their actions. As a consequence of the growing population, pollution is the same growing disposal of humans affecting not only those covered of rightful properties but moreover other nearby and neighbor areas. 

The prohibition of affective actions and control of human activities come after the laws. That the idea of what should be and shouldn't are introduced and gradually acknowledged as part of human living, but by such means, the consideration of the underlying stories of actions taken are being set aside. Humans technically focus on what happened and what has been done, that if it is believed to be wrong, neglect the idea of what good such actions can also come after. Other points of incompetency in law are the thought of lack of implication of governing laws over governing bodies, and the restraint to humans in power and positions to influence and change the reality. 

Humans in different perspectives of religion, beliefs, philosophies, and traditions, generally acknowledge their freedom to multiply and breed unlimitedly. As duly recognized by the United Nations, declared in its Human Rights policies the respect of individual family decision, as the smallest unit of society, is acceptable and inviolable. But this idea only supports the growing population, instead, Mr. Hardin suggested that it would be more realistic and solution-oriented to accept and embrace the Planned Parenthood for the World Population of Kingsley Davis. 

In reality, if humans are to be asked whether sacrifice their desire for the general welfare through limiting themselves to produce offspring or utilize their freedom to multiply themselves as much as they want, the possibility of a divided decision could happen. In the case of the present most generating population, they are believed to implicitly contribute larger to the next generations' population than others whose in control of their desires. It is believed that those who sacrifice their desire for the betterment and the general welfare due to conscience, will later experience suffering and therefore should be eliminated, but rather consider such decision as his or her own best choice as he or she pleases to be. 

It is not good and even inadvisable to take conscience as a moving force to make humans do better actions, because it generally aims to alleviate one's fear of the consequences of his or her actions. Guilt ingenuine creates decisions inconsiderable and to save personal interest and one's self from possible defeat and blame. Therefore, rather than forcibly putting someone at an edge of no choice, it would be better to let him decide for his or her own volition, open to the reality and counter-effects. Hence the responsibility of one's action, conscious of his or her limitations and capabilities, could best provide a better choice of actions. 

Beyond the idea of general welfare and the establishment of laws to comply with it, there are still and will continuously violate. The concept was related to how the governments implement such actions since humans became liberalized as time goes by, the more excuses they could project to achieve their interest became as unconscious bacteria for the development. Coercion to abide and adhere is the only way to successfully imply such regulations but the word is a threat for the majority considering the past coercive actions taken to conceive personal interests in history. But as explained, if the coercive actions are agreed upon by the majority, especially by those affected, it would come as a common means for good. 

Humans blinded by excess rights and freedom, unconsciously set aside the proper actions needed to make things continuously grow properly. Acceptance and recognition of the problem brought by the continuously growing population and other connected counter-effects such as pollution will make humans realize the reality cannot be set aside. That rather than providing technical temporary solutions, what humans need is the long-term execution on how to take an end to given problems. By all means, enough knowledge and implication of such will help upon achieving this goal. Humans, bound with freedom, rights, and privileges should also learn how and when to exercise such practices to avoid dominance and control of balance.