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Nah, capitalism is just the most efficient system for economic growth. It's economic growth that's driving climate change, and economic growth is driven by popu
by titzer 4y ago
Nah, capitalism is just the most efficient system for economic growth. It's economic growth that's driving climate change, and economic growth is driven by population growth, reduction in poverty, and the hedonistic treadmill. It doesn't matter what -ism you put on it, climate change is driven by burning fossil fuels and every -ism would do the same. Fossil fuels are a very decentralized incentive problem; they are everywhere, the externalities aren't felt locally, and not until much later. The consequences that would change behavior just aren't there, and consequences are the only thing that changes behavior.
- datadata 4y agoThe valuing of economic growth seems to be almost required as a Darwinian feature of nations. Resolve as a nation to value economic growth less than your neighbors, and you will soon be overpowered by them.
- titzer 4y agoYes! This is one of the many bad incentives.
- datadata 4y agoI don't disagree, but I think the Darwinian part transcends the idea of incentives. You wouldn't say that a tree has an incentive to reproduce, as a byproduct of a Darwinian natural selection they are guaranteed to have that property. Similarly, civilizations that have economic activity are guaranteed (in a Darwinian sense) to have economic growth.
- otikik 4y agoNot if all the nations do it together.
- arsome 4y agoAh yes, truly an easy sell. Let's try telling that to the developing nations who's people are just getting access to clean water, electricity, refrigeration and transportation first.
- otikik 4y agoI didn’t say it would be. “We will do these things not because they are easy, but because they are hard”
- datadata 4y agoSure, but that is not a stable solution. Defection is rewarded.
- otikik 4y agoSo we need a reward (or a punishment) that is perceived as bigger than defection.
- fghfhgfh 4y agoHave you been to small villages in developing countries? Their lives revolve around capitalism and local markets. Everyone knows each other. I've never seen more "neighborly" places
- datadata 4y agoI don't see your point? I didn't say that capitalism leads to conflict, merely that not pursuing economic growth should lead to being overwhelmed by those that do.
- landemva 4y ago> capitalism is just the most efficient system for economic growth. Capitalism is just the best system for economic efficiency to fulfill people's desires/wants. Wasteful growth is due to government-sponsored debt money.