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There's a whole universe out there. We're not even close to exhausting how much we could grow.

by it 4y ago

deleted 4y ago
[deleted]
api 4y ago
Space migration is possible but would it matter? You could build a big Mars settlement and that would have its own economy but how much would that add growth to Earth? Transit times are long and the cost to move goods is high for fundamental physical reasons, leaving intangibles as the only thing that could trade in really high volume. I doubt an increase in software or media from Mars could compensate for limits to growth on Earth. On a side note: I suspect that demand limits to growth from stabilizing or falling population and decreasing marginal utility of goods and services (“saturation”) will be as significant as limiters of growth as supply side limits.
- wahnfrieden 4y ago
  it’s obviously no answer for increasingly short term concerns on earth
- whimsicalism 4y ago
  It seems like services, information, tech are all huge contributors to modern growth beyond just "raw physical" goods. Seems like it could have a substantial impact on Earth, especially when you consider innovations. Imagine having high billions-trillions of people and millions working on a given innovation or line of research or whatever.
  - convolvatron 4y ago
    if we cared about higher levels of innovation or research, we don't need to have a trillion babies. we just need to educate the ones we have already, and give them the opportunity to do that kind of work.
    - whimsicalism 4y ago
      We need both. Nurture is not the entire factor, there are also genetic fluctuations over intelligence. Higher population increases the proportion we expect with that.
hn_version_0023 4y ago
Yes, but, critically we cannot access those resources yet. Will be gain that ability before we poison the biosphere to the point where extinction is inevitable? Were I a betting man I'd bet against us, given our current trajectory.

There's a whole universe out there. We're not even close to exhausting how much we could grow.

by it 4y ago

There's a whole universe out there. We're not even close to exhausting how much we could grow.

deleted 4y ago

[deleted]

api 4y ago

Space migration is possible but would it matter? You could build a big Mars settlement and that would have its own economy but how much would that add growth to Earth? Transit times are long and the cost to move goods is high for fundamental physical reasons, leaving intangibles as the only thing that could trade in really high volume. I doubt an increase in software or media from Mars could compensate for limits to growth on Earth. On a side note: I suspect that demand limits to growth from stabilizing or falling population and decreasing marginal utility of goods and services (“saturation”) will be as significant as limiters of growth as supply side limits.

wahnfrieden 4y ago
it’s obviously no answer for increasingly short term concerns on earth
whimsicalism 4y ago
It seems like services, information, tech are all huge contributors to modern growth beyond just "raw physical" goods. Seems like it could have a substantial impact on Earth, especially when you consider innovations. Imagine having high billions-trillions of people and millions working on a given innovation or line of research or whatever.
- convolvatron 4y ago
  if we cared about higher levels of innovation or research, we don't need to have a trillion babies. we just need to educate the ones we have already, and give them the opportunity to do that kind of work.
  - whimsicalism 4y ago
    We need both. Nurture is not the entire factor, there are also genetic fluctuations over intelligence. Higher population increases the proportion we expect with that.

hn_version_0023 4y ago

Yes, but, critically we cannot access those resources yet. Will be gain that ability before we poison the biosphere to the point where extinction is inevitable? Were I a betting man I'd bet against us, given our current trajectory.