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It is desirable because once we go into zero sum game, constrained growth, war is the only way to get more resources. With infinite growth you can make your own
by ozim 6y ago
It is desirable because once we go into zero sum game, constrained growth, war is the only way to get more resources. With infinite growth you can make your own resources without someone else loosing their resources.
There are still some resources that we are constrained with, like oil, but with science coming up with ways to stop using that resource and having reusable energy sources we can stop wars in places where oil is present.
Then if I can have $2 tomorrow for my $1 invested today because I see there is infinite growth I am willing to put my money into more ventures. If there would be no growth I would stick to my $1 and spend it only on necessities we would stagnate and would not have money to invest in things like renewable energy - which in turn leads to scenario with scarce resources.
Remember that not all people want to live peaceful life having their own farm feeding themselves, there is a lot of human predators taking advantage of others. So to have peaceful society we need growth or at least perceived growth so a lot of people don't have to take someone else piece of pie.
- blackbear_ 6y agoThat's a good point, thank you!
- Guthur 6y agoIndividual subsistence farming has rarely if ever been a tractable solution, we have nearly always lived and worked as a group and those groups have nearly always required a hierarchy, even a single family is nearly always a hierarchy and in subsistence life style even more so I'd suspect.
- newdude116 6y agoYour post is wrong on so many levels. Take this as a start: https://ourfiniteworld.com/2011/02/21/there-is-no-steady-state-economy-except-at-a-very-basic-level/ https://ourfiniteworld.com/2011/02/21/there-is-no-steady-sta...
- ozim 6y agoI don't discuss if it is feasible in reality or propose it as a solution to all world issues. I simply replied to the question "why it is assumed possible and desirable?".
- unishark 6y agoTechnology doesn't make resources, it uses resources to produce wealth. Improving technology improves the efficiency with which this can be done. Stopping growth in the technological improvements doesn't mean we go back to zero, we simply get stuck at the current level of efficiency. Also the premise is unrealistic anyway. Technological improvements will still happen incrementally even with zero funding for research. Especially as big changes occur and needs arrive.
- coldtea 6y ago>It is desirable because once we go into zero sum game, constrained growth, war is the only way to get more resources. I think that the question about it being "desired" didn't only ask "why is it viewed as desired?" (that's obvious, who wouldn't just like infinite growth if it was possible and had no side-effects?), but also implied "why is it viewed as desired AND feasible?". So the above is mostly an "argument from wish" (the "wishful thinking" logical fallacy). Just because the alternative is war [1] doesn't mean the other alternative is guaranteed. [1] which is also taken for granted instead of proven, how about the alternative is sustainable living and more equality and cooperation