In Sunday’s Philosophy in Action Webcast, I discussed the principle of sustainability. The question was:

What’s wrong with the principle of sustainability? In the discussion of “sustainable agriculture” in your October 9th webcast, you didn’t explain the problem with the basic principle of the “sustainability movement,” namely “that we must meet the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs.” Doesn’t that just mean respecting rights? If not, what does it mean and why is it wrong?

My answer, in brief:

The principle of sustainability must be understood in its proper ideological context of collectivism, egalitarianism, and environmentalism. Understood that way, it’s clearly demanding that people not exploit finite resources for their own benefit, as they ought.

Here’s the video of my full answer:

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