Gene writes:
> My criticism of this approach, i.e. describing a new economic system
> which is to be adopted democratically somehow, is that it goes against
> all the dreams people have in hoping for "a better life for my kids."
As an answer I will ask two questions:
(1) Do you think that it is possible, beginning from the present state
of the world economy, to transition to a sustainable and equitable world
economy while maintaining growth in the already rich countries?
Many people think: if we grow carefully enough, if we do "sustainable
growth", then we can continue to grow. Paech categorically denies this.
His central thesis is the impossibility of sustainable growth which is
also equitable, i.e., which does not shut out the many poor people
living on earth.
(2) Now assume your answer to the first question is the same as Paech's,
i.e., you think sustainable equitable growth is impossible, and that on
the contrary a large portion of the population in the OECD countries
have to reduce their consumption. I am not only talking about the top
20%, I am talking about the top 40% or 50% in the US, this is why I
wrote "we". We have to unclutter, simplify, and slow down our lives
because if we don't, we must either rely on fossil fuels or we take away
the right of the people in the poor countries to have a dignified life.
If this is a correct description of the world we live in, what is the
better strategy: keeping it a secret that everybody halfways affluent
person must reduce and eliminate their luxury consumption, or making this
known?
I think the second question can be answered easily: it is difficult
enough to get middle-class people to cut their consumption of
unnecessary things, or to get them to vote for politicians who pursue
no-growth or degrowth policies, if the necessity of this is explained
clearly and convincingly, and if the benefits of such a lifestyle are
pointed out. This is difficult but not impossible; maybe simple healthy
living in harmony with nature for the benefit of our grandchildren
catches on and becomes the new fad. But if nobody tells them that many
innocent daily amenities are unsustainable, from long showers every day
to commuting by car to living in large homes which are always cozy warm
in the Winter and refreshingly cool in the Summer, they will never even
consider changing their lifestyles, because they think these lifestyles
are sustainable or can be made sustainable through superinsulation,
electric cars, ground source heatpumps, etc.
In one sentence: if it is true that a considerable portion of the people
in the US must cut their excess consumption in order to leave a
hospitable planet to our children and grandchildren, this must become
widely known and debated, otherwise it will never happen.
Hans
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