Quote:
Originally Posted by sendler
We must start thinking about a totally new economic system which will tollerate de-growth of GDP without obliterating the poor. We have about 35 years of affordable crude oil left to come up with a totally different way.
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I doubt a decline in GDP is necessary, but that said, things are becoming more efficient all the time. We'll all be able to replace huge TVs with tiny VR headsets in the near future. Frontload washers consume less water and make drying more efficient. Electronics get more efficient. The self driving taxis of the future will reduce the number of vehicles sold, while the "sharing" economy continues to pioneer new efficient ways to increase utilization of under-utilized resources.
Sure, it looks gloomy to look at where we are today and realize where we need to be in the future, but that's because it ignores all of the incremental improvements/adjustments that will be made tomorrow and every day thereafter on our way to the future.
To update my side-rant about taking personal responsibility for community rather than delegating to the government; I loaned $2k to the guy with financial hardship with no expectation of receiving it back. He's not one of those perpetually poor smokers and drinkers, so there is a good chance he will pay me back one day.
This sounds awful to most people, and is even difficult for me to suggest considering my high value of freedom, but people who are bad with money should have trusted custodians who set budgets and distribute cash for them. My dumb cousin will get a windfall of $100k waste it in 3 months. Surely he would be more happy to have someone make financial decisions for him to prolong his enjoyment of the money, but he is free to blow it as he wishes, and also free to live on the streets if he so chooses.