Reflections on Nantucket
27
As a rebuttal to anyone who feels that every mainlander has a Godgiven right to move to Nantucket if he or she pleases, I offer the following: if it is correct to assume that Nantucket's intrinsic qualities will decline with an ever-increasing population, then it should be apparent that Nantucket should not be concerned with trying to increase everyone's happiness by allowing everyone who wishes the opportunity to move to the Island. There are simply too many people in a position to reap Nantucket's pleasing attributes without giving consideration to the longrange effects their actions will have on these attributes. If Nantucket allows everyone who wishes the opportunity to move to the island, it will only lead to a qualitative decline until eventually, the Island's unique features will have lost all their intrinsic quality, and no one will desire their once-pleasing attributes. Then the Island will bring happiness to no one. I feel we all have an obligation to preserve the living museum they call Nantucket, even if this means implementing controls.
[To be continued] Kevin D. Hurst is a native of Utah and attends the University of Utah, majoring in environmental studies. He attended the University of Massachusetts-Boston seminar in Nantucket this past winter, with the class studying Nantucket History and Culture, sponsored by the University of Massachusetts and the Nantucket Historical Association. This is his term paper, which not only received a high grade but becomes •an important study for all who love Nantucket.
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