On Saturday January 30, the Chicago Tribune had an article about homemade ice rinks. James Herbst is a man that has made his own ice rink in his backyard. He loves it when the weather is cold in order to maintain his rink. He also allows other kids from the neighborhood to join in the fun. He says that other parents are now competing with him to see who has the biggest ice rink. The article states that the, “reason for the popularity may be a lack of public alternatives,” (Vikki Ortiz Healy 2010, pg. 2). Lately, budget cuts in suburban parks and recreation departments have forced many public outdoor rinks to close.
According to John Locke, property is the labor that one does. The dads of these suburbs own these ice rinks since they are the ones that created it. The labor they did gives them the right to own these rinks. Since we own our own body anything we create with our hands is rightfully ones property, argues Locke. Virtue comes from the work an individual does. The dad seems to have virtue because he loves to maintain the ice rink for his kids. John Locke would also state that they are not wasting their backyard in the winter. During the winter months, people hardly use their backyards. In this sense, it would seem that we are putting our backyards to waste. Now, that people are making ice rinks in their backyards they are fully using their property. This property is also limited, due to weather. Locke would state that it is temporal because ice would eventually melt.
I believe we are wasting our backyards in the winter. According to Locke, if we are not productive, then it is considered stealing; we were meant to be industrious. I’m glad some people still use their backyards productively. I am not saying all people should build ice rinks in their backyards, but should use it for something during the winter. Making a snowman and snow angles would count in being productive in Locke’s mind. So, go outside and have fun with your backyard.
According to John Locke, property is the labor that one does. The dads of these suburbs own these ice rinks since they are the ones that created it. The labor they did gives them the right to own these rinks. Since we own our own body anything we create with our hands is rightfully ones property, argues Locke. Virtue comes from the work an individual does. The dad seems to have virtue because he loves to maintain the ice rink for his kids. John Locke would also state that they are not wasting their backyard in the winter. During the winter months, people hardly use their backyards. In this sense, it would seem that we are putting our backyards to waste. Now, that people are making ice rinks in their backyards they are fully using their property. This property is also limited, due to weather. Locke would state that it is temporal because ice would eventually melt.
I believe we are wasting our backyards in the winter. According to Locke, if we are not productive, then it is considered stealing; we were meant to be industrious. I’m glad some people still use their backyards productively. I am not saying all people should build ice rinks in their backyards, but should use it for something during the winter. Making a snowman and snow angles would count in being productive in Locke’s mind. So, go outside and have fun with your backyard.
Are the dads of these children building the rink so their child can skate on it or is there a little competition between the neighborhood fathers to have the biggest rink? Yes the parents are making the most of their backyards in the winter and technically aren't 'wasting' their yard in the winter but they are wasting water. For the amount of water they are using to produce these rinks compared to the amount of people that actually benefit from them we are extremely wasteful with water. We are using water for something other than its intended purpose and that is wasteful. Along with wasting water we can relate this to what we discussed in class today about wasting time. If this what makes the father happy then he probably didn't waste his time, but could he be doing something more productive than building and maintaining a neighborhood ice rink?
ReplyDeleteGreat article! I totally agree with what you say. I think its kinda of cool that these people are using their backyards as a ice ring for children to use. Andrew makes a great point about the water. I would never would have considered or thought about all the water that is being used. I kinda agree with what Andrew says. I agree in the sense that we are wasting the water that could be used more importantly than for an ice ring. You had a good article and some good points about what they did in this article.
ReplyDeleteI like this blog. I agree with the fact that during the winter peoples yards are "wasted". People who create the ice rinks on their back yards own it. They have put their labor into it in order to make it happen. Since they put their labor into it then therefore they own it. Locke wold agree with this. In my opinion, this kind of ice rink is not a bad idea. My ice hockey team usually practices pond hockey on a flooded section in someones back yard or a part next to the actual pond. The ice is completely different than that of an ice rink but it beats paying to skate on crappy ice. Having the "personal ice rink" is def. awesome for practice. Awesome article.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you on how the fathers who build these ice rinks in their backyards own them. If they instill their labor to building these ice rinks, according to Locke it is then theirs. I liked how you pointed out if we dont use our backyards in the winter we are essentially wasting them. If God gave us all this common land, why dont we use it all the time? Although I agree with you on using the backyards, I agree with Andrew on how he said that using water for the ice rinks is essentially wasting the water, because thats not what it is intented for. I liked your idea on doing simple things like making snow angels and things like that. I found this article to be very intereseting.
ReplyDeleteI believe what these parents are doing is great. In the city of Chicago the backyards aren't big enough to put skating rinks and in the suburbs they are. These parents are doing an excellent thing because they are creating something fun for their kids. They are also promoting good health and exercise among their kids and they are making them more popular so that way they will have more friends.
ReplyDeleteThis is a great way to incorporate Aristotle, Aquinas, and Locke. In the view of Aristotle, this dad is sharing, with his friends, the fruits of his private property because of virtue. Aquinas also would be impressed because the maker of the ice rink is sustaining a way to live life with himself, and with others in the neighborhood that are not so lucky to have this luxury. And finally, Locke of course, would love this article because like everyone has already stated, he made this private ice rink with his own private labor. However, its his virtue and compassion and ability to share that make this dad the prime example for the three philospohers.
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