Garrett Hardin The Lorax Analysis

In “The Tragedy of the Commons,” the author, Garrett Hardin, explains how we should deal with environmental issues including but not limited to overpopulation and pollution, by giving us an example of the commons; in this case land that is shared among people. Each person wanted to gain revenue regardless of our narcissistic nature. This leads to the environmental issues that we have today, and the dilemma that the Once Ler created in “The Lorax.”

Garrett Hardin, brings up the question, what should we maximize? Should we maximize the space of the commons, or the production of products to compensate for the growing population? No person should be able to determine what is needed for a growing population because of ethical and moral questions.

If this location was owned by someone, or at least regulated the Truffula Trees would still be standing. This bring in the section Tragedy of freedom in a commons. Garrett Hardin explains that freedom to do what we want is essentially our downfall. A Truffula Tree regulation or a conservation method would have benefited both the Once Ler and the environment. With individual freedom any person could potentially destroy the environment because of supply and demand and major greedy corporations with loose laws regarding the conservation of species and regulation of toxic chemical dumping. This is why individual freedom is bad for the

The Once Ler was easily persuaded by his evil mother that what he was doing was right, essentially making him evil. Today we experience other people 's ideas and criticism. This shapes who we are subconsciously giving us anxiety that makes us change who we really are for the majority. Morals today are constantly debated between people causing hysteria among group. What others think of us is so important that we will change everything to get their respect, even if it means an unethical choice of right and wrong.

Inretrospect, we could force people to do what is needed to save the earth but there would be an upheaval of ethics. This is the Mutual Coercion Mutually Agreed Upon. We would have to force people to limit their offspring for the sake of the planet regardless of how we do it. Coercion would be a powerful tool in controlling the population, the world may be saved, but the people would have not natural freedoms. We would have to agree as a majority on how to save the world with the best outcome for both the earth and the happiness of the people.

In conclusion, The Lorax is an essential tool in understanding “The Tragedy of the Commons.” The Lorax depicts what Garrett Hardin wrote in his essay. There may not be a sure fire way of saving the world from ourselves, but if we are willing to act as a whole we could potentially save the world. Let 's