4 ms·

Most past civilizations didn't fail due to a single resource collapse. Also, most of them didn't have free-markets oriented around innovation.

• RobertoG 4y ago
  Markets are not oriented around innovation but around profit. Innovation can eventually be produced, but it's an accidental sub-product. Innovation it's not the metric that markets are optimizing.
  • mordae 4y ago
    This. Go read Walkaway from Cory Doctorow for a nice perspective on "growth".
  • geysersam 4y ago
    Yeah and how innovative are markets really? The internet wasn't invented by the market. Neither was Wikipedia or Linux, two of the arguably most valuable programs ever written. In my view the market is mainly good for non innovative products. The safe but important stuff. Food etc. Look at the movie "market". How much innovation is really going on in the big studios? Another super hero sequel? Sure, markets pick up innovations when they are profitable. But not otherwise, and I'm doubtful if the market economy is actually a net positive for innovation. What is innovation if it means finding another way to sell you stuff you don't need anyway.