The Pig Shark and its' Parasite: now, max, that's a helluvan analogy. You seem to have hit on a mystery I keep trying to figure out: why do we feel compelled to consume? Sure, sure it's all in the programming but why do sensible people fall for it? My dad died and I had to clean out his crap and when I go, my kids will be stuck with my crap plus what I kept of his crap. I stop and think about all the money I'd have if I hadn't bought all that crap.
Or would I? People's jobs depend on the crap I buy or they would be out of work, right? If none of us fed the pig, the parasite would die, right?
So who's the parasite, max? You and me? I'll put it to you like this, kinda chicken and egg style, is Growth a requirement to maintain the status quo (employment, income) or is Growth a ruse to make the fat cats fatter? Or, how can you have Growth without Consumption? How can you have a proper level of personal savings rate and maintain the GDP without consumption and unemployment? That's the driver isn't it?
But until the consumer wakes up and realizes he's raping the Earth to death, I suppose we'll continue on our merry way, don't you? The alternatives are the death of consumers if they keep consuming vs. the death of consumers if they don't consume.
On a more religious note: kriskristofferson.com |
