Garrett James Hardin (1995-2003) was an American ecology writer and philosopher, who argued that the distribution of food in the world is a moral issue affecting the rights of both the needy and the wealthy. In his essay "Lifeboat Ethics: The Case Against Helping the Poor," Hardin explains his "spaceship metaphor," describing how environmentalists use it to urge all to stop wasting and polluting our natural resources. .
Our planet is divided into so many countries, beliefs, and morals - could we survive with only one captain steering the spaceship? Applying the spaceship metaphor can be dangerous when used by misguided idealists to justify suicidal policies for sharing our resources through uncontrolled overpopulation and immigration. .
Hardin's "lifeboat metaphor," is described as a boat in the ocean that is filled to maximum capacity with rich people; representing the wealthiest countries. As the boat floats along, there are one hundred others - who represent poor countries - stranded in the water, pleading to be allowed on board. Saving those in the water would mean death for everyone involved due to the ship already full. Deciding to allow only a few to come aboard would save some lives, but all others in the water would be lost. This is an illustration of Hardin's theory that we must first solve the problem of overpopulation and hunger before we can make ant more radical decisions. .
Some believe that a worldwide food bank, would benefit millions by taking in food contributions that could be stored and distributed to the needy. This concept has received support from many However, this idea is contradicted in the "Food for Peace" program, this program moved billions of dollars' worth of U.S. surplus grain to food-short poor countries. In a short while it became the law and only when it was published in the business magazine, it opened the true meaning behind it: "Feeding the World's Hungry Millions: How it Will Mean Billions for U.