3 ms·

> We could easily cut our use of fossil fuels if we weren't trying to balance that with an arbitrary GDP growth target Believe it or not, only a handful of peo

by Aunche 3y ago

> We could easily cut our use of fossil fuels if we weren't trying to balance that with an arbitrary GDP growth target Believe it or not, only a handful of people genuinely care about "GDP growth targets" and they have very little influence on environmental policy. The reason why politicians oppose sweeping regulation to stop climate change is because they'd lose their jobs if they intentionally caused gas prices to rise or cause a recession.

dragonwriter 3y ago
> Believe it or not, only a handful of people genuinely care about “GDP growth targets” and they have very little influence on environmental policy A large number of people with vast influence on all government policy care about the returns of their investments in existing incumbent industries, which in aggregate correlate very strongly with GDP growth, though.
takinola 3y ago
I would argue most people care about GDP growth targets but they just don't understand them that way. GDP growth is what leads to improvements in real human quality of life. It is your ability to get healthcare, housing, food and all the other things that make life a lot less painful. I would rather live in a society with a higher GDP than less (all things considered) and so would most people (as evidenced by population shifts across the world). If the GDP does not grow to at least match the population changes, the society would be poorer and have worse outcomes overall.
- holbrad 3y ago
  No idea why your getting downvoted for such an obvious statement, there is very strong (But not perfect) correlation between GDP and standard of living.
gls2ro 3y ago
almost everybody living in a democratic capitalist economy is influence by and takes decisions that have as the foundation the GDP growth. that is the foundation of the way economy works. It propagates down to interests and credits and investments and jobs. Obviously IMO.
flagrant_taco 3y ago
Or entire system is based on predictable GDP growth. It impacts nearly every part of your life in some way. Do you have any debt? Or use money? Or pay taxes?do you have a job? Did you know that oil consumption grows at the same rate as GDP? Do you save for retirement, or hold any investments? Do you have a bank account? It's all directly connected to the economic system, which is driven by the goal of having steady and predictable rate of growth in GDP.

by Aunche 3y ago

dragonwriter 3y ago

> Believe it or not, only a handful of people genuinely care about “GDP growth targets” and they have very little influence on environmental policy A large number of people with vast influence on all government policy care about the returns of their investments in existing incumbent industries, which in aggregate correlate very strongly with GDP growth, though.

takinola 3y ago

I would argue most people care about GDP growth targets but they just don't understand them that way. GDP growth is what leads to improvements in real human quality of life. It is your ability to get healthcare, housing, food and all the other things that make life a lot less painful. I would rather live in a society with a higher GDP than less (all things considered) and so would most people (as evidenced by population shifts across the world). If the GDP does not grow to at least match the population changes, the society would be poorer and have worse outcomes overall.

holbrad 3y ago
No idea why your getting downvoted for such an obvious statement, there is very strong (But not perfect) correlation between GDP and standard of living.

gls2ro 3y ago

almost everybody living in a democratic capitalist economy is influence by and takes decisions that have as the foundation the GDP growth. that is the foundation of the way economy works. It propagates down to interests and credits and investments and jobs. Obviously IMO.

flagrant_taco 3y ago

Or entire system is based on predictable GDP growth. It impacts nearly every part of your life in some way. Do you have any debt? Or use money? Or pay taxes?do you have a job? Did you know that oil consumption grows at the same rate as GDP? Do you save for retirement, or hold any investments? Do you have a bank account? It's all directly connected to the economic system, which is driven by the goal of having steady and predictable rate of growth in GDP.