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The tragedy of the commons is a mythical event about what happens when a Commons is exploited by a member of the community. The story is mean to discourage communities from discussing socialism. But the story is highly stylized and odd in its characterization of human behaviour. The story line is reminiscent of a movie plot filmed by college students. Even given the claims made about what happens to commonly owned property it is not a given that privatization is the best or only alternative. It may well be true that if a nonconformist will exploit land in the common domain, but it may also be true that the nonconformist will exploit what is in the private domain for short term gains. We must be careful not to jump in the fire because the pot seems to be getting hot.