The thing is Squeers, IMHO you are on little but a feelgood
exercise, which ties in with your political agenda.

The genie has long escaped the bottle. Every morning when you
have breakfast, another extra quarter of a million mouths are
waiting to be fed. So if we use resources a little faster or
a little slower, its hardly going to address the big picture,
other then make you feel better.

There are also 2 sides to every coin, much as you rave on
against capitalism. Just this week I took one of my dogs to
the vet, she was scratching profusely, not a flea in sight.
It turns out she most likely picked up a mite which burrows
into her skin, from one of the wild foxes around here.

That evil capitalist corporation called Bayer, luckily came
up with a simple pour on, which for 20 bucks, gave her much
relief and made her a happy little pooch, once again. The vet
didn't even charge me a consultation fee.

Now rant and rave about the evils of corporations for all that
you will, but I'm sure that the dog is pretty happy that Bayer
exists and found a solution to her problems.

'So if we use resources a little faster or
a little slower, its hardly going to address the big picture,
other then make you feel better.'

I'm with Yabby,

It goes back to pelican's post.. and what's luxuary?

Do you like a hot shower? Do you really need anything other than a dirt floor and a thatched roof?

I tell you I've been to many many third world countries, and they don't understand the concept of rustic. They don't think their living conditions are quaint or have any romantic notions of the simple life.

They like hot showers, and would love some air conditioning. In terms of consumption, who will decide on the standard level of luxury.

What is luxury?

How much should we curtail and how much are we saving for our children's children (Notice how the children themselves never matter. That may be a baby boomer thing)

The matter of what's sustainable is in proportion to the amount of people. Luxury and/or population will reduce naturally when resources are scarce.

If you're really altruistic you may talk about making the distribution of so called luxury more uniform, but the luxury of renovating a kitchen.. who decides you even need a Kitchen?

How far do you go?

I know! Back to the good old days, *That's* the level of luxury YOU were brought up with, that's what defines Necessity, and need. Today's people just don't understand.

There are certain inalienable truths...

As women become more educated and wealthy, they have less children. We could well be worrying about nothing.

Wars, Famine, Natural Disaster, are natural ways of reducing population.

Mankind has proved pretty resourceful when faced with every challenge along the way so far.

Sure we're smart enough or not collectively to pre-empt a drop in the ratio of resources per person and try to mitigate and smooth out a transition, but it will happen at some time or other.

Where's the rush to bring it forward?

Now to torture the lefties even more, think about the renaissance. All that art and 'thinking' was supported by what was luxury at that time. I reckon aboriginal paintings are downright ugly in comparison.

How will we look back on our Ikea renaissance? Huh? huh?

One day, kiddies will be studying Two and a Half Men in English class just like they do Shakespeare now!

Here's a question: In what century should mankind have stopped to save resources for the future, and decide, well, that's enough luxury, we should spread resources and save for the people in 4 centuries time. No more progress!

Quittin' time!

I'll say when it's quittin' time!

I'll BET, that we should have stopped at the end of the Renaissance period.

Yabby:
"The thing is Squeers, IMHO you are on little but a feelgood
exercise, which ties in with your political agenda"

I'm getting a little tired of your ad hominum crap, Yabby. You're always trying to bait me with how many kids I have etc, and now I have an "agenda"--and what would that be? I've already said what I think, that there's nothing we can do! Excuse me if I try to at least highlight the fact that we're being exploited as never before.
I'm happy for your dog, sport, but I'm not "ranting and raving".
If you disagree with me, then take issue with my arguments, and not with your paranoid projections. You don't know me from Adam!
I would welcome argument. I "want" to be shown to be wrong--I'm not particularly thrilled about the future for my kids!
Maybe that's why I refuse to be good-naturedly cynical like Houellebecq.

The CO2 tax is a dead fish, actually it is flyblown, where the left now have to deal with the maggots.

*I would welcome argument. I "want" to be shown to be wrong*

Well that's been done, Squeers. No matter how many feelgood
solutions that you suggest, they are not going to make a scrap
of difference, other then for you.

An agenda can be a list of things which somebody thinks need
doing. That is exactly what you have expressed.

*Excuse me if I try to at least highlight the fact that we're being exploited as never before.*

Ah you poor dears, as you work less and live longer and better then
any generation before you.