Happy Fishing Lab - Tragedy of the Commons
Discussion Questions
1. Did anyone in your group take too many fish? How did that make you feel? Did everyone try to take as many as possible? Why or Why not? Does society reward those with the "most"?
Yes, everyone was out on their own. They only cared about themselves and how they'd survive if they got as many fish as possible. I felt a little intense because whatever you got depended on if you would proceed to the next "season". Every person at my table immediately started spooning as many fish as they could once the clock started. Yes normally society tends to envy and give more attention to those who have "more" because in society's eyes they're more important than the people who have less.
2. Did anyone sacrifice the # of fish, for the good of the community? Why or Why not? Does society every reward that type of person?
No because each person just wanted to get enough fish to survive into the next round. None of us ever thought about how we should leave a couple so they can reproduce even though it was clearly stated in the instructions. Society does it thinks highly of whoever does the service. I know I do, I give respect to that person and think of them differently.
3. In Game two...how did your strategy change, if at all? Does it make a difference to know what the rewards are?
We didn't make it to the second game, but if we would've we'd be more careful on keeping track on the reproducing of the fish. It makes a difference to know that we need to help each other out so we can all survive.
4. Is it possible to maximize the number of fish caught/person AND the number of fish remaining in the pound at the same time? Why or Why not?
It is possible, but the hunt for fish would be harder unless they work together to split the values of each fish and keeping in mind how they have to leave some to reproduce.
5. What are some natural resources that are common resources?
Water, oxygen, oil, coal.
6. What are the global commons? Are these being used wisely? Why or Why not?
The ocean is the global common and no it is not being used wisely considering there is a lot of water pollution in the oceans. But along the lines with this lab the lack of reproducing is also a big problem. Not having an off season is what will make fish extinct and the cost of living will bury one.
7. What can people do to use these resources most wisely?
The obvious one is to value the resources they have and not over use them. They need to keep in mind that natural resources won't last forever so how one handles them is very important.
8. Did a particular "type" of fish disappear faster than the others? How does this relate to "economically valuable" species in nature and their extinction rates?
Yes, the most valuable fish (yellow goldfish) disappeared in a snap.This relates in the fact that when one is going to sell a product they want to get the best one so they can sell it at a high price and earn more profit off of it then what they originally paid for to either make it or buy it.
Discussion Questions
1. Did anyone in your group take too many fish? How did that make you feel? Did everyone try to take as many as possible? Why or Why not? Does society reward those with the "most"?
Yes, everyone was out on their own. They only cared about themselves and how they'd survive if they got as many fish as possible. I felt a little intense because whatever you got depended on if you would proceed to the next "season". Every person at my table immediately started spooning as many fish as they could once the clock started. Yes normally society tends to envy and give more attention to those who have "more" because in society's eyes they're more important than the people who have less.
2. Did anyone sacrifice the # of fish, for the good of the community? Why or Why not? Does society every reward that type of person?
No because each person just wanted to get enough fish to survive into the next round. None of us ever thought about how we should leave a couple so they can reproduce even though it was clearly stated in the instructions. Society does it thinks highly of whoever does the service. I know I do, I give respect to that person and think of them differently.
3. In Game two...how did your strategy change, if at all? Does it make a difference to know what the rewards are?
We didn't make it to the second game, but if we would've we'd be more careful on keeping track on the reproducing of the fish. It makes a difference to know that we need to help each other out so we can all survive.
4. Is it possible to maximize the number of fish caught/person AND the number of fish remaining in the pound at the same time? Why or Why not?
It is possible, but the hunt for fish would be harder unless they work together to split the values of each fish and keeping in mind how they have to leave some to reproduce.
5. What are some natural resources that are common resources?
Water, oxygen, oil, coal.
6. What are the global commons? Are these being used wisely? Why or Why not?
The ocean is the global common and no it is not being used wisely considering there is a lot of water pollution in the oceans. But along the lines with this lab the lack of reproducing is also a big problem. Not having an off season is what will make fish extinct and the cost of living will bury one.
7. What can people do to use these resources most wisely?
The obvious one is to value the resources they have and not over use them. They need to keep in mind that natural resources won't last forever so how one handles them is very important.
8. Did a particular "type" of fish disappear faster than the others? How does this relate to "economically valuable" species in nature and their extinction rates?
Yes, the most valuable fish (yellow goldfish) disappeared in a snap.This relates in the fact that when one is going to sell a product they want to get the best one so they can sell it at a high price and earn more profit off of it then what they originally paid for to either make it or buy it.
Happy Fishing Lab
Postlab:
In the Lab Happy Fishing my group lost after the first round and not because one got more fish than another (although there were a couple who wouldn't have made it to the second round), but because we fished out our lake. We were so concentrated on getting enough fish to proceed to the next level that we forgot to leave some so they could reproduce, so we could be able to go fishing next season. I honestly loved this lab, although we lost. It was an eye opener on how we need to work together, not against each other, to live. One table was actually helping each other to have enough fish so each one could proceed to the next round and to have enough fish to reproduce next season, which is exactly how things should be done around the world whether it's fishing or running a business. It shouldn't always be about money or fame, but living in the most peaceful and cooperative way.
When hunting out in the wild many people don't consider how all their constant hunting can create an extinction of animals, a big example being fish, when fish are gone, what will the other sea animals eat, and when they die what will the next in the food chain eat? You see this is a chain reaction, with link out the next isn't connected, and this doesn't just apply to hunting but construction work as well. When construction work is being done in a forest or area where animals live you're killing their habitat, making them have to leave and find a new place to live, but not all animals can do so, some depend on a certain fruit or food that some type of plant creates and would die from starvation. Soon enough those animals don't exist anymore. To fix this we have to limit the way we go to hunt. There should be a season once a year to be able to hunt that type of animal to give them time to reproduce so we never run out because not only will the shortage affect us, but the animals who also depend on that animal to live. As for the construction work, we should pay more attention to where we begin our projects, and if it's an area that will affect a certain habitat, then 1. Don't build it there or 2. Try to recreate their habitat somewhere else. Animals are just as important as humans.
Where I see this topic coming into play is with oil companies. Since oil is a natural resource we can't simply wait a year and have it reproduce which is why the thirst for oil these days is so intense. Many of the appliances we use depend on oil a big one being cars for transportation, planes, boats to import and export goods. And since oil is wanted the fight for it is more serious, we need to see how we put that oil to work. It's not going to last us forever so we have to preserve it which is why gas prices have gone up for the past 2 years, since it's starting to get harder to find it will get more expensive. If we limit our car use not only will we be saving gas, but less air pollution. I think there should be one day out of the year where we try our hardest to not use a car, to walk to where we need to be, or ride bikes. I'd like to see how some people would react to such a simple change of habits.
Postlab:
In the Lab Happy Fishing my group lost after the first round and not because one got more fish than another (although there were a couple who wouldn't have made it to the second round), but because we fished out our lake. We were so concentrated on getting enough fish to proceed to the next level that we forgot to leave some so they could reproduce, so we could be able to go fishing next season. I honestly loved this lab, although we lost. It was an eye opener on how we need to work together, not against each other, to live. One table was actually helping each other to have enough fish so each one could proceed to the next round and to have enough fish to reproduce next season, which is exactly how things should be done around the world whether it's fishing or running a business. It shouldn't always be about money or fame, but living in the most peaceful and cooperative way.
When hunting out in the wild many people don't consider how all their constant hunting can create an extinction of animals, a big example being fish, when fish are gone, what will the other sea animals eat, and when they die what will the next in the food chain eat? You see this is a chain reaction, with link out the next isn't connected, and this doesn't just apply to hunting but construction work as well. When construction work is being done in a forest or area where animals live you're killing their habitat, making them have to leave and find a new place to live, but not all animals can do so, some depend on a certain fruit or food that some type of plant creates and would die from starvation. Soon enough those animals don't exist anymore. To fix this we have to limit the way we go to hunt. There should be a season once a year to be able to hunt that type of animal to give them time to reproduce so we never run out because not only will the shortage affect us, but the animals who also depend on that animal to live. As for the construction work, we should pay more attention to where we begin our projects, and if it's an area that will affect a certain habitat, then 1. Don't build it there or 2. Try to recreate their habitat somewhere else. Animals are just as important as humans.
Where I see this topic coming into play is with oil companies. Since oil is a natural resource we can't simply wait a year and have it reproduce which is why the thirst for oil these days is so intense. Many of the appliances we use depend on oil a big one being cars for transportation, planes, boats to import and export goods. And since oil is wanted the fight for it is more serious, we need to see how we put that oil to work. It's not going to last us forever so we have to preserve it which is why gas prices have gone up for the past 2 years, since it's starting to get harder to find it will get more expensive. If we limit our car use not only will we be saving gas, but less air pollution. I think there should be one day out of the year where we try our hardest to not use a car, to walk to where we need to be, or ride bikes. I'd like to see how some people would react to such a simple change of habits.