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Page added on November 13, 2012
Heinberg: Dangerous Ideas: The End of Growth
Our economy is based on a model of constant growth – growth in production, consumption and population. Economic growth has provided rising standards of living in the West and seen millions in China and India lifted out of poverty. This model has been disrupted in many countries by the global financial crisis, which is now seeing another round of casualties, particularly in Europe. Will things settle down with growth resuming, or will our economies bump up against a wall of finite resources? And if they do, what will this mean the global balance of power?
8 Comments on "Heinberg: Dangerous Ideas: The End of Growth"
Ian McPherson on Tue, 13th Nov 2012 12:48 am
This movie is hopelessly out of lip sync, which spoils what is otherwise a good lecture. So much for the video experts at the Sydney Opera House… 🙁
actioncjackson on Tue, 13th Nov 2012 1:55 am
Works fine for me, upgrade you’r internet and computer.
Rick on Tue, 13th Nov 2012 2:13 am
Another great Heinberg video.
He’s right China is another US, and I would say don’t bank on China. They will fall too.
Also, he’s right about capitalism. And it kills me, most Americans, don’t have a clue about capitalism, and most will never be one. Yet, they are brainwashed to support it, yet all they are doing is supporting the 1%.
PS – the lip sync wasn’t all that bad.
actioncjackson on Tue, 13th Nov 2012 2:53 am
Great video, and yea it’s out of sync, I was wrong, you’r internet and computer are fine, but still well worth watching. We’re still fucked though.
Arthur on Tue, 13th Nov 2012 10:44 am
Yes, capitalism or kepitalism rather… from the depths of internet underground William Engdahl is probably one of the most vocal resistance fighters against ‘financial terrorism’ as he calls it here:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JFZGMWJUc4I
From 1:55 he mentions ‘an elite’ that moved from Venice via Amsterdam to London and New York. Let’s call this elite of ‘merchants of Venice’ ‘Italians’, as anti-Italianism is merely a small forgivable crime.lol
He could have added that this development went hand in hand with the rise of protestantism, a very materialistic ‘Italian’-friendly religion, in contrast to catholicism, that gained a stronghold in the Netherlands first. The direct result was the first central bank as well as the first capitalist corporation based on shares (VOC) both based in Amsterdam. In 1689 protestantism was firmly established for good on the British isles by the Dutch army up to Scotland and northern Ireland. From there, as well as from Holland the protestant capitalist revolution was planted into the empty American plains by English and Dutch colonists (Mayflower, New Amsterdam). Nieuw Amsterdam became New York and today NYC has been fully taken over by ‘the merchants of Venice’, the great profiteers of the protestant revolution.
It is very likely that with the coming resource depleted world, capitalism in it’s present form will die and that the protestant mindset will die with it. Oh and I see not much future for the illustrious ‘merchants of Venice’ either.
So what’s next? The return of the Emperor? The Czar? Aristocracy?
Questions, questions, questions.
Arthur on Tue, 13th Nov 2012 10:59 am
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cl8ZHDQQY7I
“Richard Heinberg: why end of growth can mean more happiness”
Video shows Heinberg in his ‘Thoreau cabin’, sort of. Abandon the car and the constant need for ‘stuff’ and you are liberated from the need to voluntarily lock yourself up in an office and be a wage slave for the better part of your life. Be a freelancer and work a few months per year and adapt the number of months worked (3 in my case) to your material needs instead of the other way around.
Dave Thompson on Tue, 13th Nov 2012 5:17 pm
As individuals we can favor our survival by eliminating personal debt. Leave the corporate overlords by working for yourself. Set up community barter systems and trade labor with labor. Pay and get payed only with cash when necessary. Get involved with your local neighbors and government. Get off your keester!
Arthur on Wed, 14th Nov 2012 12:11 pm
“As individuals we can favor our survival by eliminating personal debt.”
I believed that too and acted upon that belief and am debt free, much against the advice of my expensive accountant. But my accountant knows all about taxes and money and interest but nothing about energy running out. Maybe paying off debt will turn out to be a waste of effort once the Great Default will arrive and all debt will be cancelled (and assets). Maybe a combination of debt (like mortgage) plus a handful of hidden gold and silver coins (not in the bank as it will be confiscated!) is a better strategy. But that will only be known after the fact.