4 ms·

I appreciate your post and line of thinking, but am not at all convinced that our natural resources and spaces would end up better off being owned by a private

I appreciate your post and line of thinking, but am not at all convinced that our natural resources and spaces would end up better off being owned by a private company for financial gain. I don't trust private owners to take the required long-term view on those resources and spaces. And in cases where some benefit is derived (i.e., quicker action against microbeads), I think there are likely accompanying outcomes that are even worse (e.g., decreased access to fresh water or natural parks).

username223 11y ago
> am not at all convinced that our natural resources and spaces would end up better off being owned by a private company for financial gain Your faith is weak. If your opinions were subject to a Free Market, we could solve this problem.
- lotyrin 11y ago
  Unfortunately it seems the current market for public opinion that is the modern media is too inefficient, we need a high frequency bid/ask system that can implant ideas directly.
- azinman2 11y ago
  Free market can't prevent short cited assholes who don't understand what they're doing. Smart people with the public good and long view can, however, do better in public policy that sets limits on wreckless actions. If you want to see what happens when people don't give a shit look at China where Beijing recently had to close schools for several days because of the pollution.
  - vinceguidry 11y ago
    He was joking.
jacobr1 11y ago
> being owned by a private company for financial gain This doesn't necessarily follow. Private ownership can be structured as something other than for profit. Non-Profit Land Trusts are big thing in many areas of the US for example. But even industry motivated groups might be a choice. Think a home-owners association of beach property owners (including resort hotel conglomerates) or fishing rights cooperatives. If either had stronger property rights and standing to remedy damages they would be motivated by longer term aims to ensure water quality. You might be right that this could have adverse consequences but I wanted the raise the possibility of options other than BigWaterCo.
betteringred 11y ago
> I don't trust private owners to take the required long-term view If there's anything we know about politicians up for re-election in two years or unable to run for another term it's that they take a long-term approach to problems. /s

username223 11y ago

> am not at all convinced that our natural resources and spaces would end up better off being owned by a private company for financial gain Your faith is weak. If your opinions were subject to a Free Market, we could solve this problem.

lotyrin 11y ago
Unfortunately it seems the current market for public opinion that is the modern media is too inefficient, we need a high frequency bid/ask system that can implant ideas directly.
azinman2 11y ago
Free market can't prevent short cited assholes who don't understand what they're doing. Smart people with the public good and long view can, however, do better in public policy that sets limits on wreckless actions. If you want to see what happens when people don't give a shit look at China where Beijing recently had to close schools for several days because of the pollution.
- vinceguidry 11y ago
  He was joking.

jacobr1 11y ago

> being owned by a private company for financial gain This doesn't necessarily follow. Private ownership can be structured as something other than for profit. Non-Profit Land Trusts are big thing in many areas of the US for example. But even industry motivated groups might be a choice. Think a home-owners association of beach property owners (including resort hotel conglomerates) or fishing rights cooperatives. If either had stronger property rights and standing to remedy damages they would be motivated by longer term aims to ensure water quality. You might be right that this could have adverse consequences but I wanted the raise the possibility of options other than BigWaterCo.

betteringred 11y ago

> I don't trust private owners to take the required long-term view If there's anything we know about politicians up for re-election in two years or unable to run for another term it's that they take a long-term approach to problems. /s