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Progress (empowerment) always costs more energy, that is thermodynamics. We may be surprised in what form the expended energy takes, or skeptical about the bene
by lokimedes 2y ago
Progress (empowerment) always costs more energy, that is thermodynamics. We may be surprised in what form the expended energy takes, or skeptical about the benefits (think whale oil lamps), but that is the general pattern.
That we (and especially eco-dreamers in Europe) saw the stagnating energy consumption per capita over the last 3 decades as evidence that we can save energy to reduce climate change is a fiction that can only be held by people who haven’t witnessed true progress (or cared for it).
- _heimdall 2y agoI don't that its fair to assume that progress alwaysalqays requires more energy. Many innovations that we would consider progress offer more efficiency than what they replace. The challenge is that we continue to consume as much as possible. New innovations often have the potential to decrease energy use through efficiency, instead we choose to use more of the thing. I.e. "progress" often offers a decrease energy consumption per unit, but we end up with a total energy use increase when we drastically increase the unit count.