A flaw turned into a strength - Part II

In my previous article (Nov. 6), “The History of the Flaw-Part I,” I outlined a view of our nature as a species; our tendency to choose self-interest over community-interest; and our lack of common perspective. This discussion was brought to my attention early in my studies as a student of ecology by an article from a biology professor, Garrett Hardin. His article in Scientific American in December 1968, “The Tragedy of the Commons,” planted the seeds for this point of view.

One of the principles of our democratic republic is that the collective self-interest of citizens will balance the potential corrupting self-interest of a few. This was one of the arguments made by the founders of our republic. This is why we don’t put our future in the hands of an aristocracy or a monarch. The twist in this angle is that we (Americans) do have a certain amount of faith in science and technology to “mitigate” the negative outcomes of our choices as a society. To a large extent, that faith is well placed. We have benefited greatly from science and technology.

Hardin and others over the decades and centuries have argued that ultimately there are “no technical solutions” to the accumulative effects of our exploitation of “common” resources (forests, agricultural lands, fossil fuels, minerals, water). As a species, our activities dominate almost every ecological niche on our plant. Since there are no likely “technical solutions,” what next?

Our first step might be to re-examine what we treat as “commons.” We will need to examine all of them and assess their role in our lives. In the American democracy, we have an abundance of commons (water, public lands, public power, etc.). These are considered commons in that, as citizens, we have access to them and have a say over their use.

We are now faced with difficult choices. What do we stop? How do we stop?

“Stopping” sounds simplistic, but it is not. Due to the momentum of our societies, stopping any significant activity will lead to massive disruption, in particular with those activities that fuel our economies.

The alternative to not stopping is inevitable. The biology of our human situation is clear. If we don’t limit ourselves, uncontrolled catastrophic events will limit us. This is time for our collective self-interest to override our personal self-interest.

The current debate over climate change has cast a fresh new light on this old problem. This cause has been taken up by many young Americans, but this cannot just be a media event or a curiosity. The concern and urgency are real. Science from the past and present support these concerns. Let’s not fail our forbearers or our youth.

Take action.