The Ostrich Factor: Our Population Myopia

by Garrett Hardin

Book Overview

Garrett Hardin, one of our leading thinkers on problems of human overpopulation, here assails the recklessness and basic ecological ignorance of economists and others who champion the idea of unbounded growth.
Hardin delivers an uncompromising critique of mainstream economic thinking. Science has long understood the limits of our environment, he notes, and yet economists consistently turn a blind eye to one feature we share with all of our planet's...

• Format: Hardcover
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0195122747
• ISBN13: 9780195122749
• Release Date: April 1999
• Publisher: Oxford University Press
• Length: 176 Pages
• Weight: 0.75 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.7" x 5.7" x 8.5"

Customer Reviews

More than meets the eye

This book has more in it than meets the eye and it infers many things that readers may not pick up on. One of the ideas I thought was useful not just for the population problem but for many other problems that humas are facing his his ideas about all the investments in failure that we are making in many of our "solutions". I think Hardin implies the solution which is that limits have to be set and that our basic ancient mythology which was set at a time when population growth was extreemly useful is now no longer useful. His solution is to argue this point again and again because so many people still have their heads in the sand. Until people can come to some of the realities of our world population problem it is pointless to try to implement any solution which those with their heads in the sand will continue to oppose. His solution is very difficult to swallow for people who are holding on to the ideals of the past which are now fatal so this book is very vital. I like that he leaves it to the inventiveness of the reader to pursue the results of his findings. Details about any of his infered solutions are not in this book. This book is a work of genious from someone who has been in the field of population control for over 30 years. He knows what he's up to. He opens up so many possibilities for creative readers or political thinkers. His ideas on coercion, equality, multiculturalism, and altruism will be invaluable for any solution to take place. This book is just brimming with discussions and it makes for a great book for a class to read and discuss which is what I think Hardin ment it for mostly to be used in his classes and used to launch many discussions. That is why is is so bare in many ways and leaves the conclusions up to the reader. The thing I dislike about the book the most is that the inside cover says "sure to spark controversy." It just goes to show how many in our society have there heads in the sand!