Several days back, Peter Saint-Andre made an excellent point in response to much of the rising concern people have regarding the state of this country and the global economy. In Where Are the Scenarios?, he observes:
... I rather doubt that a new Dark Ages is right around the corner. Sure, it’s possible, but what are the probabilities, based on current evidence, historical extrapolation, and scientific reasoning? Pointers are welcome. :)
At first I was all ready to fire back, emphasizing that even though a worst-case scenario may not happen, it is still a good idea to prepare for some hardship ahead ... but I didn’t. That would have been an aside to his point, and would have suggested I did not grok his point. I do. Survivalism seems to have become a popular angle for the fear-mongers in the media of late; and I have no interest in feeding the trend.
Nature can provide its own balancing of contexts, if one is willing to pay attention; and fortunately for me, a powerful one appeared in our yard yesterday evening. This property becomes Elk Migration Central for a few days each spring and fall, and last night the largest herd seen in many years materialized from the trees to our west.
Prior to seeing it, I had thought that land animal migrations were more purposeful—rather like the ducks and geese when they take to wing: they seem to be responding to an urgent pull to be elsewhere. But the elk are not like that. They’ll stay in this area for 3–5 days, wandering in and out of the trees to graze on our lawns and generally ambling northeasterishly ... more like a fog than herd movement. We will watch them, and take pictures (as will our neighbors—some of whom raced up our driveway last evening and strode through the lawn in order to get as close as possible to the elk), and yet we will be surprised when a full day goes by and we realize we’ve not seen a single animal. In their casual way, the moseying migration will have taken the elk elsewhere.
And thus do they accomplish what they need to, to survive ... the same way that their ancestors accomplished it. No worrying or fretting, no ifs or shoulds or wringing of hooves. I rather like that model.
Property is Theft.
Your post is an excellent example of why the idea that "Property Rights" is the solution to all of the problems of everything (and then some) is just not a really workable idea. I mean, there are some benefits to the idea, but those who see it as the be-all, end-all, are simply deluding themselves. Life is migratory. To require a permit (title or rent receipt) in order to be, well, it just doesn't compute for me. Don't go postal on me now and scream that WELL WHAT WOULD YOU SUGGEST? I don't have an answer. I'm just pointing out that neither do those who think that they do. That's all.
- NonE