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Locke And Hardin Analysis

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Rules and structure shape who we are, they allow us to channel and control our basic instinct in a way that lets society run smoothly without being subjected to great amounts of chaos. Without structure individuals can’t be trusted to put their selfishness within their human nature aside for the good of the society as a whole. I believe that humans initial instinct is masked by societal guidelines and without the pressure to follow these guidelines people would become absorbed with self-benefiting actions. If everyone is looking out for only themselves, no one is thinking about the bigger picture and how every person’s individual actions affect everything as a whole. History determines the future, and people’s actions in the past affect future …show more content…

Locke believes that humans are born with a clean slate, and develop who they become because of the environment and the culture they are absorbed in. On the other hand, Hardin argues that every human is selfish at heart, and no matter what they will eventually follow their human nature and only look out for themselves. Hardin deeply expresses that the human race is doomed unless we change our morals and ways of life. Locke and Hardin were both writing their passages at very different periods in time. Locke wrote The Second Treatise of Government around 1690, this was an interesting time especially for Locke to be having all these new opinions. He was developing these new ideas during the revolution, which was a very religious period. Because of this many of Locke’s beliefs included references from the bible like how “God gave the world to Adam and his posterity in common, it is impossible that any man but one universal monarch should have any property upon a supposition” (Locke). What Locke is saying is that God gave the world to Adam and only his lineage can have complete control over it. This also relates to the time period because a monarchy was the form of government during this time. Locke does, however, state that God also gifted men with property in “common”, which refers back to labor and working for what you desire to …show more content…

He explains how with free parking one does not have to pay for it, therefore someone can park there as long as possible. This make it hard for other people and it makes it so there is no value if you don 't have to work for it. Verses paid parking where one has to work for it and if someone is paying they will most likely just do what they need to do an get out rather than just taking advantage of the free parking. This idea of value does not just apply to modern activities. Another example is the Homestead Act of 1862; when America was first colonized the government opened up mass amount of land and allowed people to claim it. People were in huge amounts of rush to claim land out of greed. However, the problem with this act is that people took way too much and they couldn 't handle it and the land ended up going to waste because it was so easy to obtain the land it also lost its

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