ewp@ihuxn.UUCP (08/31/83)
Bud Wiser just finished reading the last of Ayn Rand's books and decided that selfishness was the only true path to fortune and morality. Sure enough, the next day his rich uncle Abner dies, leaving his widget factory, and enough money to pay the inheritance taxes, to young Bud. Bud takes charge of the factory to find people complaining about the smoke from the widget factory causing acid rain. The acid rain is increasing, though not by much, the rate of erosion of local statues and decreasing, though not drastically, the number of fish in nearby lakes. Bud realizes that nature is able to absorb a certain amount of pollution without any harmful side effects. He also knows that his widget factory produces smoke in amounts far less than this buffering ability. On the other hand, Bud also realizes that there are many other people producing similar amounts of pollution. Individually, each is well under the buffering capability of nature but, collectively, the total is well over this level and rising. The people that are affected are a small, unorganized group and likely to remain so. Bud knows that Watts-his-name in Washington sees no reason to interfere with the decisions of this country's well-intentioned business leaders. Bud lives far from the affected area, as do all others he cares about. All he has to worry about is doing what he considers moral. The question is, what should Bud do about the smoke from his factory? No one can blame Bud specifically. If others would reduce their smoke output, there would be no problem. If he does something to reduce the smoke coming from his factory, will he not be doing one of those vile, altruistic acts? If he doesn't, isn't he interfering with the rights of others? This seems to be a realistic, plausible scenario that is much more prevalent than lifeboats and doesn't include one old Greek. Ed Pawlak ihnp4!ihuxn!ewp