Hardin’s “Lifeboat Ethics: The Case against Helping the Poor” Selfishness is exposed by Durning’s “Asking How Much Is Enough”
In the short essay “Lifeboat Ethics: The Case against Helping the Poor” Garrett Hardin argues that the planet faces the problem of overpopulation. He suggest nations should stop helping the poor before the overpopulation kills everyone. He advises the wealthy to protect their resources and leave those who cannot to fend for themselves. He describes the world as being a lifeboat with only enough room for a few inside the boat and the majority in the water begging for help. The reproduction in poor countries (outside the boat) is much higher than in rich countries (inside the boat). As a result of the rapid growth, …show more content…
Hardin’s ultimate goal is to persuade readers to go against their morals. Throughout his essay he is harsh in his logic, but it makes sense and seems to float the lifeboat. However, in the essay “Asking How Much Is Enough” Durning believes the poor are not solely to blame for overconsumption. The wealthy are letting lifestyles destroy the earth because they are consuming more than is needed. A reader must examine Durning’s theory of overconsumption to become fully aware of Hardin’s false rhetoric. Metaphorically speaking, Hardin states that each rich nation should be seen as a lifeboat full of the wealthy people. Outside of each boat swims the poor of the nation. Each who would like to share in the wealth or possibly enter the boat. However, unfortunately for them, there is limited capacity. Suppose there are “50 people in the lifeboat and it has a capacity of 60. There are 100 people swimming outside pleading to enter.” (508) So, there are multiple options for saving the poor. Although realistically, only one of those options offer the wealthy nations a means of survival. The rich nations will not allow anyone else to be admitted into the lifeboat. …show more content…
He supports this with the opinion that we put too much of a strain on the earth by taking more than we actually need. He states “Consumption has become a central pillar of life in industrial lands, and is even embedded in social values.” (404) Durning learns that people who have attained more material possessions are just as happy as the ones who are considered to be the poor of the nation. He notes that the amounts of resources consumed today are higher than what some ancestors consumed in the past. Durning is getting readers to see that it is not just the poor who are draining the earth it is also the wealthy. In fact, he points out “1 billion of the world’s meat eaters, car drivers, and throwaway consumers are responsible for the lion’s share of the damage humans have caused to common global resources.” (406) Essentially, he disagrees with Hardin’s essay in regards to the lifeboat and what Hardin thinks about overconsumption. According to Hardin, if the wealthy nations continue to provide for the poor nations their population will continue to grow. As a result, they will use most of the resources provided from the earth. The lifeboat in turn will be affected because of the overpopulation and overconsumption. All of the resources are inside the boat and they are being drained out by the poor, and the wealthy will start to
In the short essay “Lifeboat Ethics: The Case against Helping the Poor” Garrett Hardin argues that the planet faces the problem of overpopulation. He suggest nations should stop helping the poor before the overpopulation kills everyone. He advises the wealthy to protect their resources and leave those who cannot to fend for themselves. He describes the world as being a lifeboat with only enough room for a few inside the boat and the majority in the water begging for help. The reproduction in poor countries (outside the boat) is much higher than in rich countries (inside the boat). As a result of the rapid growth, …show more content…
Hardin’s ultimate goal is to persuade readers to go against their morals. Throughout his essay he is harsh in his logic, but it makes sense and seems to float the lifeboat. However, in the essay “Asking How Much Is Enough” Durning believes the poor are not solely to blame for overconsumption. The wealthy are letting lifestyles destroy the earth because they are consuming more than is needed. A reader must examine Durning’s theory of overconsumption to become fully aware of Hardin’s false rhetoric. Metaphorically speaking, Hardin states that each rich nation should be seen as a lifeboat full of the wealthy people. Outside of each boat swims the poor of the nation. Each who would like to share in the wealth or possibly enter the boat. However, unfortunately for them, there is limited capacity. Suppose there are “50 people in the lifeboat and it has a capacity of 60. There are 100 people swimming outside pleading to enter.” (508) So, there are multiple options for saving the poor. Although realistically, only one of those options offer the wealthy nations a means of survival. The rich nations will not allow anyone else to be admitted into the lifeboat. …show more content…
He supports this with the opinion that we put too much of a strain on the earth by taking more than we actually need. He states “Consumption has become a central pillar of life in industrial lands, and is even embedded in social values.” (404) Durning learns that people who have attained more material possessions are just as happy as the ones who are considered to be the poor of the nation. He notes that the amounts of resources consumed today are higher than what some ancestors consumed in the past. Durning is getting readers to see that it is not just the poor who are draining the earth it is also the wealthy. In fact, he points out “1 billion of the world’s meat eaters, car drivers, and throwaway consumers are responsible for the lion’s share of the damage humans have caused to common global resources.” (406) Essentially, he disagrees with Hardin’s essay in regards to the lifeboat and what Hardin thinks about overconsumption. According to Hardin, if the wealthy nations continue to provide for the poor nations their population will continue to grow. As a result, they will use most of the resources provided from the earth. The lifeboat in turn will be affected because of the overpopulation and overconsumption. All of the resources are inside the boat and they are being drained out by the poor, and the wealthy will start to