Quote:
Originally Posted by Occasionally6
It isn't necessary to go (back?) to doing that; we're still going to have an industrialized, developed society, with electrical power, running water, refrigeration etc., just not a consumer based growth economy. A lower level of material wealth, as distinct from standard of living, than that currently found in the developed world may be necessary (possibly will be).
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Electricity and running water depend on industrially made goods, which depend on a cheap transport grid for raw materials and finished products. An integrated communications grid and computer manufacturing will still also be needed. Let's not forget... practical scientific and medical research will still require massive funding. How big our civilizations' carbon footprint would be if industry only made necessary things, I don't know, but it would be an interesting exercise to find out.
Also... I'd argue we'd still need a space program of some sort. If only to figure out how to deal with those pesky asteroids.