A sustainable economy or an ever increasing GDP economy.

[infundibulum]

http://www.reuters.co...idUSL6E8FPEV820120425

Which are you for and why ?

[VHG]

I guess it is capitalism versus idealism.

We all want to "save the planet", reduce pollution, reduce poverty, share the wealth etc etc.

But in the rich countries we all seem to want to continue to have our good salaries, our cars, our foreign holidays, our "must have" gadgets etc.

And the poorer countries look at our life style and say "we want some of that" (and why not).

So you are always going to have this striving for a better lifestyle, at the expense of the planet.

"Man" has never been known to curb his desire to build bigger and better things (such as roads, buildings, dams, boats etc), often only "because we can".

Asking this to stop for the sake of the planet is going to be difficult.

For example Dubai are running out of oil. They are desperatley building new buildings, hotels, off shore islands, home for the rich, purely to prepare for a future without oil.

If we asked them to stop doing that would they?

I am afraid with continued over population we are heading for a disaster for the earth in the next 100 years.

[jake-the-peg]

Just because capitalistic forces push in one direction doesn't mean they cannot or should not be resisted.

Capitalistic forces like these are the same ones that push the international drugs trade or child pornography but we don't just throw up our hands there and say "we can't stop this let not try"

[VHG]

>>>the same ones that push the international drugs trade or child pornography

So how have we done stopping or reducing them?

If anything they are worse than ever. It is far easier to see pornography or get drugs than it ever has been.

I am not saying we should not try, but it is like trying to stop a huge boulder running down a hill, not impossible but very difficult.

[infundibulum]

My guess is Capitalism versus Realism.

"We all want to "save the planet", reduce pollution, reduce poverty, share the wealth etc etc.

But in the rich countries we all seem to want to continue to have our good salaries, our cars, our foreign holidays, our "must have" gadgets etc. " - maybe you are right VHG , but that's a bit of a dichotomy - cake and eating it too.
Man's desires to build bigger and better things need not be unsustainable in themselves , although the capitalistic incentive ( utilising the cheapest and easiest way ) takes no heed of sustainability .
Asking man to foreskke capitalism will be difficult for it would involve more effort and cash.
With a continued unsustainable population we may well be heading for a disaster for the earth in the next 100 years.

Thanks VHG and jake-the-peg for taking the time for your replies.

[Johnysid]

The scientists predicted back in the 1970s that there would be a resources crisis around 2015 that would lead to an economic collapse.. See http://pol-check.blog...limits-to-growth.html

Sustainable or increasing GDP? We have no choice according to the models in the link above, sustainable is the only future that can occur in the long run.