Interesting op-ed piece in Grist a few days ago, questioning the wisdom of our current economic system, using GDP to measure a nation's health and wondering if there is a better way than the status quo. It's always seemed to me that at some point there has to be a limit to economic growth and we'll hit a plateau as resources become ever more scarce and difficult to get at. Not to mention, thinking about how resources will be used around the globe as and if the standard of living rises in countries not currently in the First World. There's a lot to think about and few answers, but just getting people thinking is critical. The author of this piece is a young person. I'm the parent of 2 young people. From my limited experience with this age group I can tell you: They. Are. Mad. At us, and not because of the oft harped fear of inheriting an economy in debt, but because we were smart enough to figure out a better way to sustain the planet and the people on it and didn't.
Anyway, read it, see what you think.
A call for a new economics: It’s time to redefine success
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Gross National Happiness
Started by mariaandrea, Apr 28 2012 09:51 AM
4 replies to this topic
#2
Posted 28 April 2012 - 01:42 PM
He makes some very good points there, Mariaandrea. It seems to me that one good thing that is coming out of the economic crisis and the environmental problems we are facing is that young people are involving themselves, either by protesting or opening up debates as to how we can best proceed. It's nice to see them taking on that responsibility, and coming up with some credible solutions. It augurs well for the future.
#3
Posted 29 April 2012 - 03:22 AM
It's always seemed stupid to me too.
Housing stats for instance.
When the housing bubble burst, everyone was worried about housing start-ups falling to new all time lows.
But I've often wondered, if every square inch of the Earth is covered in houses and businesses and there
is no where else to build, would the stats on the economy shift? And shift to what?
Consumption of goods to put "inside" those buildings?
OMG-not enough people buying frigs and couches. The sky is falling-double dip recession.
GAFB
Housing stats for instance.
When the housing bubble burst, everyone was worried about housing start-ups falling to new all time lows.
But I've often wondered, if every square inch of the Earth is covered in houses and businesses and there
is no where else to build, would the stats on the economy shift? And shift to what?
Consumption of goods to put "inside" those buildings?
OMG-not enough people buying frigs and couches. The sky is falling-double dip recession.
GAFB
#4
Posted 29 April 2012 - 05:13 PM
Interesting article. Excellent, that young people are getting involved, especially the Occupiers, who are still trying to change things. Gross National Happiness sounds great, a viable solution to the problems that are outstanding must be found, to affect a change in the happiness factor.
#5
Posted 02 May 2012 - 09:31 AM
As long as there is population expansion, there must be economic expansion or somebody is getting screwed. 
For the same reason, housing starts are important. Are new families supposed to live in the streets?
People forget that the free market capitalist system is the very thing that gave us the PC's you are all using, the internet you are all using, the solar panels that will curb CC, and the food to keep us from starving to death. What is corrupt is crony capitalism, government getting involved in picking winners and losers. It doesn't work anyway but that doesn't keep them from meddling.
The problem with our economy as well as most of the western world is that government has promised too much and used credit to cover their mistakes. Now credit is running out and it's reality check time. Face it, we have been living beyond our means for decades and now everyone around the world wants to as well. We are like kids getting a credit card before they to off to college, buying all kinds of wonderful goodies then getting a rude awakening when the bill comes due.
Either we continue to live this comfortable lifestyle and make everyone else want to as well, or we will have to do with far less. Personally I think it is the free market that will sort this out naturally via price pressures. We can do a lot with recycling so we reuse earths resources rather than continually mining new stuff and "unmining" old stuff into land fills. Unless we have zero population growth world wide we will need expansion in most area's to support all those new souls.
In the end, the world will likely slip back into a pastoral society, likely wind, solar, and hydrogen powered. That would make cities the dinosaurs of the 21st century. With current technology, just about any home on a sixth acre could be nearly if not totally self sufficient in energy, water, effluent, and food.
Finally, I call BS on Happiness quotient! Happyness is a state of mind, not an economic indicator. I love home thieater, and have over a thousand movies and that makes me happy. You may think it's a waste of energy and space and abhor all that plastic in the discs and packaging. That would male you unhappy. Is it your job to brainwash me into hating home theater? No! Is it my job to brainwash you into liking it? No! People are individuals with different goals, we are not automatons, we are human.
In the end, we all want clean air, water, and soil. We want to be able to enjoy our natural environment. However, we also want shelter, food, clothing, and the ability to communicate, that's what keeps us human. In order to have that, we must work. In order to do that we must be able to get to work. Some are willing to work harder than others, therefore hard work must be rewarded and lazyness punished.
It would appear that once you take reality into account you end up with the system we have but without corruption and overpromising, i.e. vote buying). I don't think we have to tear down what we have, we just have to clean it up and be willing face reality.
For the same reason, housing starts are important. Are new families supposed to live in the streets?People forget that the free market capitalist system is the very thing that gave us the PC's you are all using, the internet you are all using, the solar panels that will curb CC, and the food to keep us from starving to death. What is corrupt is crony capitalism, government getting involved in picking winners and losers. It doesn't work anyway but that doesn't keep them from meddling.
The problem with our economy as well as most of the western world is that government has promised too much and used credit to cover their mistakes. Now credit is running out and it's reality check time. Face it, we have been living beyond our means for decades and now everyone around the world wants to as well. We are like kids getting a credit card before they to off to college, buying all kinds of wonderful goodies then getting a rude awakening when the bill comes due.
Either we continue to live this comfortable lifestyle and make everyone else want to as well, or we will have to do with far less. Personally I think it is the free market that will sort this out naturally via price pressures. We can do a lot with recycling so we reuse earths resources rather than continually mining new stuff and "unmining" old stuff into land fills. Unless we have zero population growth world wide we will need expansion in most area's to support all those new souls.
In the end, the world will likely slip back into a pastoral society, likely wind, solar, and hydrogen powered. That would make cities the dinosaurs of the 21st century. With current technology, just about any home on a sixth acre could be nearly if not totally self sufficient in energy, water, effluent, and food.
Finally, I call BS on Happiness quotient! Happyness is a state of mind, not an economic indicator. I love home thieater, and have over a thousand movies and that makes me happy. You may think it's a waste of energy and space and abhor all that plastic in the discs and packaging. That would male you unhappy. Is it your job to brainwash me into hating home theater? No! Is it my job to brainwash you into liking it? No! People are individuals with different goals, we are not automatons, we are human.
In the end, we all want clean air, water, and soil. We want to be able to enjoy our natural environment. However, we also want shelter, food, clothing, and the ability to communicate, that's what keeps us human. In order to have that, we must work. In order to do that we must be able to get to work. Some are willing to work harder than others, therefore hard work must be rewarded and lazyness punished.
It would appear that once you take reality into account you end up with the system we have but without corruption and overpromising, i.e. vote buying). I don't think we have to tear down what we have, we just have to clean it up and be willing face reality.
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