Locke In The News

Today, there is a global movement for countries to become less dependent on oil and there has been a switch towards natural gas. Natural gas is a better energy source because it is a lot cheaper than oil and a lot more efficient. I read an article today in the Dallas News about an increase in benzene levels in the air around areas in Texas where they drill for natural gas. Benzene is a toxin known to cause cancer that is produced in the drilling process. So this brought an ethical question to my mind: Is it okay for these companies to drill for a better source of energy even if in the process a toxin is produced that could potentially bring harm to humans?
Locke would be happy with the fact that the companies are laboring to the land. He believes that each person has the right to labor to the land and he believes when a person instills their labor into something, they now own it. These companies are drilling for natural gas and so they own whatever they dig up. But Locke also says that a persons labor should benefit mankind as a whole. Locke would argue that these companies are not benefiting mankind as a whole. By drilling and collecting natural gas from the earth these gas companies are producing a toxin that causes cancer in humans. Even though they are doing something good by collecting natural gas, they are producing something that is harmful to humans. Should these companies be allowed to continue this?
This article really opened my eyes to a disadvantage of natural gas. Up until now I have heard nothing but good things about natural gas and for the first time I heard what harms it could bring to people. Locke would argue that these companies should either stop drilling or to find out a way to correct the problem. The article does talk about how the Texas Commission of Environmental Quality has been working to correct the problems and they say strongly that the problems can be fixed. This is a good thing for the future but I just feel bad for the people in that area who might have been affected already by these high levels of benzene.

How Much is Too Much?

It is amazing that even in these tough economic times companies are still raking in huge profits while the ordinary American is still struggling to make ends meet. I recently came across an article in the New York Times about the record breaking earnings by JPMorgan Chase, a bank that received bailout money back in 2008. The article brought questions of ethics to my mind and the question: How much is too much…?
JPMorgan Chase earned more than double of what it earned last year, even with the economy at its worst. In 2009, the bank reported earnings of $11.7 billion in profits alone, compared to $5.6 billion in 2008. What is JPMorgan doing with all of this extra money you ask? Well how about raising the bonuses for executives by 18% from last year. The bank is setting aside an enormous $26.9 billion to “compensate its workers” which will be paid out in bonuses. Is this greed? While there are so many people in need of help, large companies continue to record huge profits and are giving it back to themselves!
Aristotle believed that an individuals main concern is to govern his household and to acquire what is necessary to live, and to live well. But how well is too well? Aristotle never answers the question of greed in his writings, but how much is too much? I believe this company recording record profits while others are struggling, and giving the money back to themselves in multimillion dollar sums is the ultimate example of greed. They should be giving it back to the people in need or at the very least paying back the bailout money they received. I believe if more people took towards Aristotle’s views of only acquiring what is needed to live well and giving back what is not needed to those who need it most this world would be a whole lot better. There is a huge gap between the rich and the poor and it is a result of greed. Aristotle believed that when there is surplus, it should be given back to the community, this is not what is happening in today’s society and this needs to change.