biz as usual limits growth

vice’s take on the club of rome’s limits to growth modeling from the 1970’s. there are a number of interesting take aways from the article. but the punchline is, we’re doing very little to align towards a sustainable model of operation, though it’s obviously within our power.

this will quite likely require a massive shift (socially) in terms of what we value and a rewiring of our motivations. i wonder if late stage capitalism can make these changes.

Unfortunately, the scenario which was the least closest fit to the latest empirical data happens to be the most optimistic pathway known as ‘SW’ (stabilized world), in which civilization follows a sustainable path and experiences the smallest declines in economic growth—based on a combination of technological innovation and widespread investment in public health and education.

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She noted how the rapid development and deployment of vaccines at unprecedented rates in response to the COVID-19 pandemic demonstrates that we are capable of responding rapidly and constructively to global challenges if we choose to act. We need exactly such a determined approach to the environmental crisis.

while it’s within our power to act on a massive scale, it still clearly requires the discomfort of the rich (countries) for action to be taken and even then it’s there are limits to what they want to do for the world at large once their squared away. look no further than anemic vaccine distribution contributions on the part of wealthy nations to emerging markets when it’s in the rich countries self interest to help these countries get their populations vax’d.

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Although the ‘stabilized world’ scenario “tracks least closely, a deliberate trajectory change brought about by society turning toward another goal than growth is still possible. The LtG work implies that this window of opportunity is closing fast.

– MIT Predicted in 1972 That Society Will Collapse This Century. New Research Shows We’re on Schedule

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