tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post4036904690788602556..comments2024-03-22T05:20:44.167-07:00Comments on The Disaffected Lib: Think of It As a Tipping PointThe Mound of Soundhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comBlogger4125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-51127363529315878182016-08-05T13:05:14.069-07:002016-08-05T13:05:14.069-07:00Owen, a critical part of the "steady state&qu...<br />Owen, a critical part of the "steady state" economic theory deals with growth. It sees replacing growth in production and consumption with growth in quality and enjoyment of life. Growth is focused on knowledge. Production is geared to quality, durability and upgradeability and resources are allocated accordingly. If you're producing the sort of junk we receive today you simply won't get resources. I'm greatly oversimplifying the theory and I'm probably not stating it as well as it deserves.<br /><br />Galbraith, in "The Predator State," has some interesting thoughts on wealth in the post consumer society.The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-31756985054052837172016-08-05T12:58:22.826-07:002016-08-05T12:58:22.826-07:00Lorne, I too am astonished that our MSM avoids any...<br />Lorne, I too am astonished that our MSM avoids any mention of this. I suppose it stands as an indictment of our consumer society, market fundamentalism and neoliberalism which demand perpetual growth and obsolescence. There must be some fear of letting the genie out of the bottle.<br /><br />It's almost impossible to imagine how a properly informed populace would respond to this. We have already tested our capacity for denialism and don't we do that well? What awaits us in a post-consumer society? Two immediate problems the transition would necessitate would be some form of rationing coupled with more equitable distribution. These are matters we angrily denounce as theft by socialism. There are not many willing to delve more deeply than that. We might actually choose collapse as our default option.<br />The Mound of Soundhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09023839743772372922noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-43522523469908094842016-08-05T12:03:52.353-07:002016-08-05T12:03:52.353-07:00We need so much less than what we consume, Mound. ...We need so much less than what we consume, Mound. Other peoples -- we think of them as "poor" -- have understood this much better than us.Owen Grayhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/06464860078574618579noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-32931256.post-32727725598552981072016-08-05T11:48:03.642-07:002016-08-05T11:48:03.642-07:00What you have posted here is very sobering, Mound,...What you have posted here is very sobering, Mound, and an indictment not only of our self-indulgent, wasteful and willful ways, but also of the MSM who, I think, are largely uninterested in bringing this sort of attention to light. In our short-sighted world, too much depends on us forging ahead with no course corrections lest we upset that hallowed passion for continuous growth. When that growth stops, it will have nothing to do with choices we have made, but rather what the Earth will have forced upon us.Lornehttp://www.politicsanditsdiscontents.blogspot.canoreply@blogger.com