"Why we should reject the CSIRO's 'sustainable' growth scenario"

Modern Code Words For Dummies

'Smart' = "We're going to spy on you."
'Sustainable' = "Agenda 21, Global Dictatorial Government and the New World Order"

I might be onto something here, I think I need to expand this list.

"Democracy" = "We're going to sell all your nations assets"
"Equality" = "Minority groups and idiots have a bigger voice"
"Feminism" = "Irrational Illogical women on anti-depressants"

Hi Jardine,

Thanks for question. Yes, the simpler way vision is only possible if it is voluntary - i.e if citizens enthusiastically take up the task up the task of building it in the towns and suburbs where we live. Even if we could win an election on a simpler way platform, state authorities could not impose it from on high...

That said, we are not naive. We don't think ordinary people will embrace these ideas, on a large scale, until the problems (see Geoff's good post) of consumer capitalist society start to dramatically intensify. People will then start to be looking for alternatives, if only (initially) because they need food/employment. Of course crisis will not lead to good communities automatically! The hope is that, by then, there will be lots of good local/cooperative alternatives up and running, and lots of people with the right vision, so that we can rapidly scale up...

You might like to read the following piece by Ted Trainer, addressing some of these issues, to Transition Town activists
http://www.thesimplerway.info/TRANSITIONERS.htm

MrSimplicity

Do you ever doubt whether you know better than everyone else what their thoughts, feelings, preferences and values should be?

The reason why global GDP will triple over coming decades is because almost 2 billion people live in abject poverty in developing countries and another 4 billion seek a standard of living similar to that enjoyed by Australians and most other people living in the developed countries. No politician wanting to be reelected in developing countries will support a lowering of the standard of living of his or her electorate for obvious reasons. So, until developed countries develop the technologies to provide an economically viable low carbon economy to developing countries, we will see continued economic growth for no other reason than people are part of the sustainable growth equation and cannot be ignored for fear or revolution or political upheaval.