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To: Pharmboy
The Hollywood version has likely been twisted to fit the socialist mindset of the left coast. However, I have used the cartoon version in my economics class to illustrate the danger of over using free resources and the Tragedy of the Commons. The whole problem started when the main character, the Oncler, found and utilized the trufulla trees without having either ownership of the resource or having to pay for their use. The Oncler thus had no economic incentive to conserve, preserve or replant this resource and simply exploited it until it was gone.

The use of a free resource until it is no longer available is often referred to as the Tragedy of the Commons...where the unowned common grazing land in small villages could be over grazed and thus useless to anyone. A more modern illustration would be the provision of free taxpayer funded wi-fi system in a city. The system would quickly become over utilized to the point of being unusable

18 posted on 03/02/2012 6:25:18 AM PST by The Great RJ ("The problem with socialism is that pretty soon you run out of other people's money" M. Thatcher)
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To: The Great RJ

Excellent Point!!


22 posted on 03/02/2012 6:34:22 AM PST by BobinIL
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To: The Great RJ
Would it also apply to this? :

Boone Pickens Wants To Sell You His Water

23 posted on 03/02/2012 6:43:41 AM PST by Irenic (Get your pencil sharpeners and ElmerÂ’s glue, we've lost our red wheel barrow...)
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