Living On A Lifeboat Analysis

Introduction: In the article “Living on a Lifeboat,” Garrett Hardin believes that our obligations to the poor and hungry are metaphors based on the ethics of living on a lifeboat and the tragedy of the common. The ethics of living on lifeboat is based upon the rich and the poor. Rich people are in the lifeboat and poor people are in the sea. The wealthy has only three options in the situation with the poor people. First help all of the poor and everyone sinks. Next, help only who else can fit and eventually sink and have other problems. Lastly, take no one else and continue to be safe. The metaphor, the tragedy of the common means that when everyone shares resources and goods it will also only lead to destruction for everyone. Hardin uses …show more content…
Majority of the people who are rich can afford and will be able to sustain in the land. However, the rest will be poor people. Hardin questions about what should be done if there was fifty people in a boat and ten available spots on the boat. Meanwhile, there are hundred people in the water asking for help. He suggested three possible answers. The first answer is allowing everyone in the water on the boat but at the risk of their safety. The second option is adding only ten more people to the boat and ensuring everyone’s safety. Although, everyone is safe, there would be a problem with the process of selecting ten more people to allow on the boat. For example, should the selection be based on the first to come or perhaps the neediest. Last but not least, the last solution is to not add anyone else on the boat and not sacrifice their safety, besides from others on the boat. Many people may say that the last option is wrong, yet, the same people who boarded the boat or will board the boat no longer will see things like that because they will be getting on the boat as …show more content…
Suppose there was a boat with only ten available spots left, the answer for all three suggestions Hardin suggested is simple. First, allow the extra ten people on board, of course with the most sensible selection of those ten. Then let the others know that you will come back for them, meaning you will try to do your best to think of a solution to help the poor. Next, look for others who would be willing to help get the others out of the water. For example, the wealthy should contribute with shelter, clothing and food for the poor. Helping one another will create a stronger community and create less danger for everyone. People on the boats will be helping to get the rest of the poor people out of the water, therefore the boats will not be impacted and everyone’s safety will not be at risk. Also, the other boarding parties will be less of a threat because everyone will be working with each other for the better good. It is important to help the needy and the overpopulated countries because one day the wealthy country may need help. Then the country or poor people that were once needy can now help in return. Even though it is easier for people to look the other way once they get on the boat because they are now safe and secure, it is important to help the needy. Another reason why everyone should come together and help the poor and unite is because it can very easily be one of the rich people in or one of the