We are indeed miscommunicating. I was not disagreeing with your point, simply elaborating.
I agree, a starving person will eat the last Bald Eagle or Spotted Owl without a pang of guilt. Only when people are living well above the survival margin will they have the "altruism" to give a damn about nature. In fact, only wealthy societies have the luxury to see nature as a wonder to be preserved as opposed to nature being the enemy that is trying to kill them.
My point was that some have moved so far beyond that margin that they have the desire to 'preserve nature at all costs' even if those costs aew to the detriment of their fellow humans -- not themselves, mind you, but only to their social inferiors. They do it only for their enjoyment, hence, the King's hunting preserve analogy.
Example. They become convinced DDT is 'bad' and if a few tens of millions of poor black kids happen to die for the lack of DDT --- well, too bad.
“I agree, a starving person will eat the last Bald Eagle or Spotted Owl without a pang of guilt.”
I liked that.
“My point was that some have moved so far beyond that margin that they have the desire to ‘preserve nature at all costs’ even if those costs aew to the detriment of their fellow humans — not themselves, mind you, but only to their social inferiors. They do it only for their enjoyment, hence, the King’s hunting preserve analogy.”
Did you READ my tag line? :)