A Thought for the Day

[Kilkis]

Apologies that this is not directly related to Crete BUT is relevant to everybody on the planet. I would make the suggestion that anybody who has not seen this video and is unable to answer a simple questionnaire on its content should be prohibited from voting in any election of people who can decide on public policy. The economy of the whole world is predicated on growth. The video demonstrates simply and without doubt that such an economic system is not viable. It is absolutely essential that a new economic system is devised that can sustain sensible living standards without relying on growth.

Warwick

PS It is about 1 hr 14 minutes long.

[Phild]

Good luck with getting people to watch it, Warwick, let alone understand it for what it is.

I find, from the general population, that people are not interested in learning about the exponential function. Coming from a working class family, as I did, the desire to understand such information is not there - it's "somebody else's job" to understand it, and implement any necessary fixes. I have often tried to talk to people in scientific terms to get them to understand concepts which I think everyone ought to know, to be confronted with the 'blank face' of incomprehension which basically says: Why are you telling me this? This is a fundamental mistake that intellectuals make - the truth is that the general population don't want to know.

The bigger problem is that the people whose job it actually - is - to understand and do something about these problems are too busy trying to hold onto their own lucrative jobs, and in the meantime line their own pockets. Yes, you guessed it, I'm talking about politicians again.

Until we have a properly regulated political system which precludes the sociopaths and chancers that we currently have, there will be no steps to halt the ludicrous idea that 'growth is good'.

To quote the modern philosophers 'Muse' (Video only 3:47 long )

The fundamental laws of thermodynamics will
Place fixed limits on technological innovation
And human advancement
In an isolated system, the entropy
Can only increase
A species set on endless growth is
Unsustainable

[filippos]

Good luck with getting people to watch it, Warwick, let alone understand it for what it is.

Well I watched it and think he's an excellent presenter but maybe that's because I understand the exponential function. Many years ago I worked in financial services and would have made a few pounds if I'd received one for every time I said something along the lines of, "If this fund continues to make 7½% a year you'll more or less double your investment. Even if it only makes x% you'll get a return of £y over the same period, etc., etc.

When I was about eight or I remember when my dad explained the chess board and rice grains and I was very impressed when he demonstrated the quantity on square 32 by physically writing out the number. At that age don't think I'd seen a number that big written down and certainly couldn't visualise it. Dad got out a packet of rice and started counting out the grains into piles and I'd had enough of being impressed by the time he got to about pile # 5 or 6.

[paul g]

very good lecture, makes you wonder what will happen at 12:01, frightening in parts, need a bit of that lovely 7% growth on the pension.