Tim Jackson: Imagining a 'post-growth' economy

Tim Jackson: Imagining a 'post-growth' economy
Tuesday 16 May | Full Circle, Brussels
The good news is that the prevalent economic logic is starting to shift. We've heard it already: exponential economic growth is unsustainable, resources are finite and planetary boundaries should lead decision-making processes. However, politicians, corporations, and economists alike still lead us to believe that our prosperity is intrinsically connected to growing GDP and a buoyant stock market. To provide prosperity for all while respecting planetary boundaries, it is imperative we transcend both the conventional growth-centred worldview and our growth-dependent economic and social systems.
Ecological economist Tim Jackson explores how to get there. Pioneering the potential for a new way of thinking in macroeconomics, Tim conceives of a post-growth economic system that acknowledges the ecological and resource constraints of our planet, and bases prosperity on more than materialistic gains. How do we transform our system and build a ‘post-growth’ economy?

[@elsef6798]

What an eloquent and important speech! We should shift growth from economic and materialistic to growth of mind and passion. Only then can growth become limitless.

[@SamSambram]

Our growth based economic model is sustained by our urges and desires , the marketers and advertisers bumbard us with thousands of luring messages persuade us to get more and more of the material things so that we remain " happy" . The corporations and policy makers and the investors don't see the consequences except dividends and growth rate۔ Feels like we are deeply anesthetized and don't care about the terrible pain which it follows ۔
To this human behaviour, our religious text hints as follows:
Have you seen 'O Prophet' those who have taken their own desires as their god? "And so God left them to stray knowingly, sealed their hearing and hearts, and placed a cover on their sight. Who then can guide them after God? Will you 'all' not then be mindful?

[@TerryVogelaar]

Shouldn't we also focus on the debt-based monetary system? I mean: a company usually goes into debt if they expect growth. And if they don't grow, they are in huge trouble. It is basically the loop of a gun to the head: grow or die. That's why post-growth is so frightening to economists. If we don't replace this paradigm by a less threatening, more egalitarian monetary system, we basically don't have the option to choose post-growth, even if the majority of people would support it.
I'm trying to write a book on what my take would be on this new monetary system, and how to implement it.

[@karlwheatley1244]

Right: We must replace our current economic and monetary systems, and re-building that plane while flying it is daunting.

[@TerryVogelaar]

@@karlwheatley1244 If crashing is immanent, it makes sense to do a soft landing as soon as possible, and then transfer to a safer, more durable option like high speed rail. You know that the plane will not remain in the air forever, right?

[@bucketiii7581]

Rich man thinks class divisions should remain. News at 11.