At an unnamed small-research university located in the Great Lakes area:
Not that I would have any direct knowledge, but I am told that this happens at least every two weeks over the course of the year. Good luck solving global warming, world poverty, infrastructure planning, etc.
LOL! I know that scenario well! 🙂
I never really understood this point. It seems like you’re saying:
“if we can’t solve this simple problem (of individual responsibility), how can we solve these other much more difficult problems (of collective responsibility)?”
But few resources are being directed toward solving the simple coffee pot, or porta-potty, or leaving-grocery-items-where-they-don’t-belong problems. On the other hand, lots of resources are being put toward solving global warming, poverty, etc. Obviously it should cost less to deal with the simpler problems, but nobody is really working on them. So it seems this wouldn’t, by itself, imply that the harder problems are unsolvable. After all, harder (collective and individual action) problems have been solved.
Alex I would say the point he is trying to make is one of individual rationality trumping what is advantageous for the group (including said individual). In the same way that one cannot be bothered to clean the coffee pot or turn off the machine even though the group would be better off if they did, people cannot be bothered to do their part to fight global warming even though it might kill us all one day.