Abby Ostrander
Professor Diane Davis
Composition II
29 June 2016
Lifeboat Ethics
“Lifeboat Ethics: The Case against Helping the Poor” is a very factual, well thought out,
and persuasive essay. This outstanding essay was written by a professor of human ecology,
Garrett Hardin, in 1974. Hardin believes that in order to keep society from falling apart, we must
stop aiding the poor and use our resources wisely. Throughout his essay he explains with many
different facts and examples to help the reader understand his point against helping the poor.
Hardin does an exceptional job at persuading the reader to stop helping the poor without being
harsh.
