American author and founder of the Church of Scientology, Lafayette Ronald Hubbard, explores the topic of greatness and what makes one great in his essay “What is Greatness?” Hubbard states that “greatness does not stem from savage wars or being known. It stems from being true to one’s own decency, from going on helping others whatever they do or think or say and despite all savage acts against one, to persevere without changing one’s basic attitude toward Man.” As Hubbard mentions, being great does not imply fame. It is not about how one is publicly viewed, or credited and acknowledged, but about their contributions. To that degree, many of those whom have influenced and revolutionized the world we live in today, are viewed as average members of society, and receive minimum accreditation for their work. Contrastingly, individuals such as Albert Einstein, Thomas Edison, and Charles Darwin, are inevitably great based on their accomplishments and also receive fame from it. This instance however, is not often the case. Other scientists and scholars such as Thomas Malthus, whom developed the Theory of Overpopulation in 1798 – stating that food supply essentially limits population size, and therefore generates mass chaos and suffering as overtime society will not be able to feed itself – are only relatively known for their work, but have however, been the start of a centuries old legacy regarding the topic. Garrett James Hardin, emeritus professor of ecology and microbiology at the University of California in Santa Barbara, dedicated his career studies to Malthus’ theory and its overall connections to today’s society. Strong advocate of abortion and birth control, topics of which have been source of numerous debates by both society and its respective governments, Hardin, through his various lectures and publications has certainly influenced such implications in the 21st Century. In his 1968 essay “The Tragedy of the Commons,” Hardin explored this social dilemma and its connections with overpopulation. Although never becoming famous himself, Hardin’s contributions to the world may be a topic of question in regards to the fulfilment of his career focus. But when considering Hubbard’s statement, Garrett Hardin’s greatness can be inescapably proved through his numerous contributions to helping society overcome the commonly disregarded topic of overpopulation as family size continues to grow worldwide despite its deriving implications.
Hardin’s “Tragedy of the Commons” has been widely reviewed by prestigious scientists and experts such as Hershel Elliot, Emeritus Professor of Philosophy at the University of Florida. Elliot recognizes and analyzes five parts of Garrett Hardin’s work that come together as a statement of personal beliefs and global warning and realization. He mentions his belief “that Hardin has understood and correctly stated the moral problem of directing individual behavior to attain holistic (i.e., societal and environmental) goals. [Hardin] bluntly states that controls are social arrangements which create coercion, of some sort.” (Elliot, 1997). Individuals learn from their past behaviors and experiences. For this matter, by exposing society to the dangers of overpopulation is how nations as a whole learn and develop the proper means to protect themselves from said theory. Hardin writes about this concept, and as Elliot simplifies, “just as a good parent may let a child fall down and get up and fall again as it learns to walk, so, too, many nations may only discover the need to reduce their populations and to limit their use of natural resources by allowing their people to suffer through the task of learning to live within the carrying capacity of their nation’s boundaries.” (Elliot, 1997). Each of the five parts of Hardin’s “Tragedy of the Commons” depict a similar approach to Malthus’ Theory of Overpopulation. By warning and educating the reader and overall public about its importance, Hardin’s greatness as both a writer and educator is thus portrayed and established.