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Also, his stuff is somewhat Vermont precious. A Very Deep Economy would discuss controlled collapse towards sustainable societies and the avoidance of catastrophic collapse caused by nuclear warfare, economic collapse, etc. McKibben's Deep Economy is very good as far as it goes, but it doesn't go far enough towards discussing sustainable economies and societies. Our populations are already far beyond the size Earth could sustain in a style approaching Europe's or North America's economies.
Delightfully readable and optimistic and practical. This book provides an insight into shifting society toward human values and survival of community, both of which are endangered.
Can local economies work everywhere. McKibben tells us how how horrible ecologically it would be if the Chinese lived like Americans do today. Why would I buy more expensive shoes from the nearby factory if they're no different from cheaper shoes from Vietnam.6. Those of us in rich countries have long been reluctant to sacrifice for the rest of the world, and in the US, even for our own countrymen. 4. Large-scale economies have made it possible for humans to live in many environments that could probably not otherwise support large populations.
But of course they won't be able to; with the recent increases in commodity prices, even Americans can't continue to live like Americans. I'll grant that we're rendering the planet unfit for human habitation, and not just rhetorically, but because I agree with McKibben. But his solution to the dilemma -- localized economies, and less consumption -- begs a few questions. But if national governments abuse the power to print money, why won't local governments.
For example, he claims that local currencies have no downside, because local governments won't issue more currency than they'd be willing to accept in payment of taxes and fees. McKibben has an absurd faith in neighborliness. This of course means many of us will be returning to the farm. Increased demand for natural resources will prevent these horror stories from playing out.
So I buy apples from a nearby farm because they taste better, even if they're more expensive. Why does McKibben think we'll start now. How is that going to be sold to Americans.5. His solutions might be the answer, but he's disingenous in not acknowledging their downside, and he puts far too much faith in good intentions trumping the self-interest of the rich world.1.
Small farms are more productive per acre, but less per person. And won't an emphasis on local economies make us even less interested, if that's possible, in the fate of, say, Africans and Africa.3. Los Angles, after all, is a desert.2. After all, the economic benefits of localization will accrue to others, not to us in the rich world.
But change has to start somewhere, and in the present situation a little inspiration is welcome. The endless cycle of consumption tends to produce more inequality and insecurity, rather than prosperity and happiness.Luckily, McKibben proposes a solution to the dilemma: we should shift our focus from growing economies to growing communities. The pursuit of this goal will yield different rewards, but those rewards will be experienced on a fundamental human level.Many will view the examples cited in the book as too small to be meaningful, undertaken with an overly optimistic outlook that will be impossible to achieve. With Deep Economy, Bill McKibben delivers a book that challenges conventional economic and political wisdom. Deep Economy provides that inspiration. This point is heavily underscored as we approach the upper bounds of Earth's natural resources and come to terms with the damage caused by operating under the current prevailing wisdom for over a century.McKibben points out that, while economic growth is beneficial up to a certain point, it fails to produce corresponding benefits when it passes that threshold. Simply put, we can no longer pursue unlimited growth while producing more and more stuff. The increased wealth tends to accumulate in the pockets of those who are already wealthy, while the majority of people see little to no increase in income.
I've learned a lot and know that it will have an effect on what I think about, talk about and do with my every day life. It's not hard to understand and I enjoyed it very much. This book was required summer reading for me, but I would've read it even if it wasn't. It's a book with ideas people can believe in.
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