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Justin Lewis on the flaw of "progress"

Take aways from this talk:

In rich countries, economic growth does not improve quality of life.

It's one of those blindingly obvious things which, until someone has the insight to point it out, is invisible.

For example, we have five times more different kinds of consumer goods - 400% more - than we had in the 1970s and yet most people are more harried, more pressured and enjoying life less than they did back then.

We're making and selling more and more stuff, running harder and faster, and have lost the ideal of leisure as a good thing.

This is really remarkable when you think about it. The idea of less time working and more time living had been something people were willing to fight and, even in some cases, die for. Now, we seem to be willing to give it up without a second thought.

I am a climate change skeptic so I'm not sure so sure about his third main point. But he is spot on about everything else he says.

Regardless where you fall on climate change, tearing up the earth to make things we do not need and do not contribute to our happiness doesn't make sense (and the climate change people are right about this one thing: the oil companies are evil SOBs.)

RealEconTV

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Time and money - and a revelation

In rich countries, growth
does not improve quality of life

Subscribe to RealEconTV

Food for thought

RealEconTV

Business news without the bullshit

Time and money - and a revelation

In rich countries, growth does not improve quality of life

Subscribe to RealEconTV

Food for thought

In rich countries, growth
does not improve quality of life