Nobel Prize, Climate Change and Privatization

The documentations and analysis of Elinor Ostrom, Nobel Prize in Economics awardee, of human tendencies “to act selfishly when acting as individuals and yet act altruistically and for the common good when acting as communities” is proven false by our experiences of climate change and degradation of biodiversity.

Acting as individuals or as communities, humans tend to be selfish to the extent of being greedy. That is the reality. Competitions among individuals and communities despite of inter-regional and international agreements compete over market resources. Community-based organizations compete over resources ( for sectoral leadership or survival). Individuals in communities or organizations compete over resources motivated by the culture shaped by the capitalistic system. This culture recognizes the wealthy as authority and wealth as component of leader-potentials. This culture further respects, accepts and approves those who own and control the resources. The treatment and status everybody wants.

Individuals who are already on such status want to keep the status quo and would like to make the same as legacy to their children and to their children’s children by acquiring more properties and wealth. This motivation gives individuals the strength to get by all possible means all the resources including the things that belong to the weaker individuals. And to accumulate wealth, production and continuous growth (in financial language) are necessary no matter what and how the consequences are as long as they are unnoticeable.

Ostroms’s prescription of privatization of common properties that are poorly managed is a toxic poison enough to kill the ailing earth in a matter of short time. Common and I may include the privately owned properties are poorly managed and that is the reason of climate change and biodiversity loss without elaborating and mention of other social and economic injustices. The “tragedy of the commons” still holds to be true.

Government intervention is neither an effective pill because it is run by individuals with and of the same motivation and selfish tendencies. Government is only permitted to intervene (and to exist) if it is run by selfless individuals*.

What is necessary to be taken is education. Education is not just an antidote but a vaccine once sustained. This will change our heart necessary to have an alternative mind-setting and reshape the culture that will rebuild not just moral and caring communities but loving communities of loving individuals.

Education however must have a strong base to be able to stand for a lifetime.


Suggested readings:

James 2:8, Romans 12:9-10.
John 13:34-35.
I Corinthians 10:24.
II Corinthians 8:9-15.
Habito C., No Free Lunch, Philippine Daily Inquirer (PDI). 12/26/2009.
De Quiros, C., There's The Rub. Ibid.

*II Corinthians 10:3-6, I Timothy 2:1-2, Titus 3:1 Romans 13:1-8.


Note: This is just written accidentally. I asked the old issue of PDI from a friend to be used for my cover on the grass or cold concrete chairs along Roxas Boulevard where I sleep at night. I am not a victim of scarcity of resources. But I am of poor management or resources (they are mostly privatized and the publicly owned are for sale). I am naturally immersed to a community of victims and on the other way contribute to environmental negative effect. They are uneducated and those who know to keep the ecosystem balance have no choice for survival.