In the United States one aspect of our culture is private property. In the U.S. if you own land you have the exclusive right to everything on that land and it is taken very seriously as there are many surrounding laws Trespassing is a serious crime and people have the right to and will defend their property. It is well known that if you trespass, many are not afraid to protect their property with force. The ability to own the natural resources that are on your property and develop them is a privilege and a right. The idea of private property is so important it is written into the US constitution. The 5th amendment protects private land from being taken by the government. The freedom to own land is an extremely respected right of all Americans. In Colorado it is possible to own a riverbed so while you can not own the water itself, many rivers can only be accessed if you float them on a raft, Making it difficult to access some of the best fishing in the State.
I believe that the right to own property is an extreme privilege and that it is a right that everyone should have. At the same time I believe that the right to private land is exploited to prevent the public from accessing public resources. An example is the existence of private beaches where hotels will make it almost impossible to access a beach without paying. In Colorado I have found that there are a ton of public sections of rivers that are in essence inaccessible because of the private water surrounding them. So while I believe that people have the right to not only own property but also the natural resources on that property, I think that the system sometimes does get abused to make public land nearly inaccessible.
In Sweden a law called Allemansråtten gives everyone in Sweden the freedom to explore. The literal translation of the law is “All Man’s Right” and it makes it so that you have the right to walk, cycle, ride, ski and camp on any land with the exception of private gardens, near a dwelling house or land under cultivation. This is extremely indicative of the Swedish view of nature as a right that everyone deserves to enjoy. This right is not taken lightly and comes with some simple rules, do not destroy and do not disturb. This law does not mean that you can go do whatever you want wherever you want. The utmost respect to the land is expected and there should be no trace you were ever there.This difference in cultural view was one that I experienced first hand when I was abroad in Sweden during highschool. Originally I couldn’t comprehend how such a law could exist in Sweden, but I took the time to understand the expectations and the cultural values that influenced why and how this law operated. By doing so I was expanding my horizons and opening myself to a new thing. This exercise on looking at two different views is a great way of remembering that something can be seen in two very different ways and to take the time to understand and appreciate the difference, not just judge it. In an increasingly interconnected world, the ability to appreciate and navigate cultural differences is a valuable skill that can contribute to more harmonious interactions and relationships on a global scale.