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> Growth is based on productivity gains. > without entering recession for a few year Isn't the problem we can't keep growing when there's only finite resource
by seanwilson 6y ago
> Growth is based on productivity gains.
> without entering recession for a few year
Isn't the problem we can't keep growing when there's only finite resources?
We need to change our definition of what it means for the country/world to be improving.
- rakoo 6y agoExactly, on a finite planet you can't grow indefinitely. In fact, you can't even have a constant, non-zero consumption of goods forever if said goods don't renew.
- candiodari 6y agoIn any universe where the second law of thermodynamics holds sway you can't have a society continue indefinitely at all. Of course, you can in our universe for an estimated 1e38 years. The point being that if there is a big enough supply of something that doesn't renew to last until the next breakthrough there is no problem. Never in the history of the human race has this failed. Will oil last until we get fusion figured out? It seems to me pretty likely that's a yes.
- rakoo 6y agoOil is strongly correlated to growth, which means with volumes of oil going down, the only direction our economy is going to take is also down: we're in for a recession and it's not going to stop soon. Now we can survive in a recession, but we (as a species) have never done it before on long durations, so it's going to be quite a challenge. Considering that commercial fusion is nowhere near us for the next ~100 years, we're in for a very bad time.