To make the case for “no technical solutions”, Hardin notes the limits placed on the availability of energy (and material resources) on Earth, and also the consequences of these limits for “quality of life”. To maximize population, one needs to minimize resources spent on anything other than simple survival, and vice versa.
hypothetical example of a pasture shared by local herders. individual herder will continue to add additional animals to his or her herd. However, since all herders reach the same rational conclusion, overgrazing and degradation of pasture is its long-term fate.
examples of latter day “commons”, such as the atmosphere, oceans, rivers, fish stocks, national parks, advertising, and even parking meters.
potential management solutions: commons problems including privatization, polluter pays, and regulation.
The metaphor illustrates the argument that free access and unrestricted demand for a finite resource ultimately dooms the resource through over-exploitation.