The Individual Is Better Than The Whole

Garret Hardin wrote Tragedy of the Commons to make the point that the more people act in their own selfish interest, the quicker it depletes a community's free sources. The point that it is made starts at a gradual pace taken where it begins with everyone getting excited on so much free stuff to obtain. Then there is only monitoring done on the majority of the group where the problem lies in the individual overtaking more than they should. Which over time has the source that was once abundance and free to quickly become a dry well. Hardin stresses there should be more conscious awareness in usage on free sources so that this problem can diminish. This dents on the ability for the community to collect and flourish from using these free sources so that there is a better solution made for the society's well being. A modern example of this can be seen in music piracy.

The Internet has brought many tasks easy and available especially downloading music. Now a days one can just get their music for free without thinking repercussions of it. Because they see it as an endless free source to get unlimited music. Though it is hitting hard on the music labels and the people who make this possible. RIAA reports itself helping to bring this music piracy down due serious income costs.

Example amounts lost provided by RIAA:

• $12.5 billion of economic losses every year
• 71,060 U.S. jobs lost,
• $2.7 billion in workers' earnings,
• $422 million in tax revenues
• $291 million in personal income tax
• $131 million in lost corporate income and production taxes.

When an individual downloads music they aren't thinking how it effects the artist, or if the provider they got it for free is getting paid for this. This sole act done for one person can slowly add up with others who did the very same so they could get that song to listen to. This damages wealth for the community. Because then anyone can misuse the music product to sell for ones own use, and the artist of the song will never know about it. Music piracy helps to shed light on what Hardin was expressing in his work of Tragedy of the Commons how damaging individual overuse can be.