Environmentalism: Difference between revisions

== Environmentalism and the future ==

Even though the claim that the environment needs to be maintained for human survival has some merit to it, to avoid a generational conflict between younger and older generations, there is a trade-off to be made between ensuring current social harmony and creating a livable future of the offspring. This trade-off does not have a simple solution though due to the risks involved. Perhaps this conflict could be dismissed due to the uncertainties involved.

Much of social harmony appears to depend on economic growth as it provides a strong incentive to get more stuff from created newly value rather than from other people. Once growth is gone, things tend to turn into zero-sum games instead, meaning whenever someone wants more he has to get it from others others, if necessary by force (e.g. burglary, wars etc.). Transitioning to a post-growth economy will inevitably risk this and thus has the tendency to divide people. Once it is socially acceptable to put high priority the planet should be preserved it is easy to conclude that the world is overpopulated and hence authoritarian leaders may decide for drastic measures of decimating the population (for their own automated paradise of course). Economic growth is nearly synonymous with carbon emissions until an alternative fuel is found.