Happy Fishing Lab - Tragedy of the Commons
In class we did a lab to prove Dr. Garrett Hardin concept "Tragedy of the Commons". We used a bowl (lake), colored goldfish (16-24), straws (fishing poles), and spoons (fishing nets). We were given $25 dollars each and we had had to pay an annual fishing fees ($5), the fishing permit ($5), boat maintenance/fuel/slip fees ($5), and the cost of living ($10) leaving you with the grand total of $5. Next you had to make the decision of using a spoon and paying the annual fee of $5 a year or receive a straw for $1 and no annual fees.
All you had to do was earn a total of $20-$25 (depending on whether used a net or fishing pole) and the only rules are you can grab ONLY one goldfish at a time, you have 30 seconds to get as many goldfish as you think need, and for each fish left in the "lake" after each round will produce one fish. If you don't have enough fish to support yourself at the end of each round you're kicked out the game.
My group contained five people our first strategy was to take to amount that you needed, but unfortunately two of them didn't trust the rest of so they took more than they needed. I personally felt that I couldn't be trusted and after that I wasn't sure if I could trust the people in my group. I've realized that this is like the society we live in today. When you have the "most" (money, fish, cars...) you can barter with others and will more than likely be rewarded with money.
The two that did decide to be greedy scarified their extra fish for the good of the community. The reason being is because there's only so many fish in the pond and if you take to much the fish reproduce fast enough for you to support yourself. We rewarded our friends with good praises for putting their fish back for the greater good, but in society those who sacrifice don't get rewarded. With phrases like "survival of the fittest" and "if I don't do it someone else will" we pretty much set ourselves up to become greedy causing those who don't have it to give get it from those who do.
Air and water are probably the most common resources that we take for granted. Air is polluted with smog caused by factories, cars, cigarettes etc., but no one seems to care. Water is polluted with tons of trash each day.
All you had to do was earn a total of $20-$25 (depending on whether used a net or fishing pole) and the only rules are you can grab ONLY one goldfish at a time, you have 30 seconds to get as many goldfish as you think need, and for each fish left in the "lake" after each round will produce one fish. If you don't have enough fish to support yourself at the end of each round you're kicked out the game.
My group contained five people our first strategy was to take to amount that you needed, but unfortunately two of them didn't trust the rest of so they took more than they needed. I personally felt that I couldn't be trusted and after that I wasn't sure if I could trust the people in my group. I've realized that this is like the society we live in today. When you have the "most" (money, fish, cars...) you can barter with others and will more than likely be rewarded with money.
The two that did decide to be greedy scarified their extra fish for the good of the community. The reason being is because there's only so many fish in the pond and if you take to much the fish reproduce fast enough for you to support yourself. We rewarded our friends with good praises for putting their fish back for the greater good, but in society those who sacrifice don't get rewarded. With phrases like "survival of the fittest" and "if I don't do it someone else will" we pretty much set ourselves up to become greedy causing those who don't have it to give get it from those who do.
Air and water are probably the most common resources that we take for granted. Air is polluted with smog caused by factories, cars, cigarettes etc., but no one seems to care. Water is polluted with tons of trash each day.