Recapitulation and a Look Ahead
Hardin makes a very good point at the end of the book about the danger of globalization. The key issue is that 'if you have only one system, then if anything goes wrong, everything goes wrong.' Today, as the world becomes more integrated, and dependent on each other (as well as the overall machine running smoothly), can we survive a potential breakdown in the system?
The idea of coevolution comes to mind again. For example, my skills as an analyst evolved in conjunction of the society in which I live (up to 100 yrs ago, there were no need for analysts). I rely upon society to provide my bread, and society thrives from the effort of the analyst tribe. This is true now for 95% of the people in this globe. As the system has grown, we have developed specializations.
If the system breaks down, would I survive? What kind of survival skills does an analyst have in a climate of anarchy?
On the national level...
This is true, not only for individuals, but countries as well. Is it better to have many sovereign nations carrying out their own experiments in human civilization, and population control? Or should we become one big 'global village' by opening up our borders, and essentially living/dying by a single uniform population policy (live, and let live, and let immigrate).
Though somewhat controversial today, Hardin believed in this policy: 'Unity within each sovereignty; diversity among sovereignties'.
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