Who would have thought that Dick Smith would be criticising the consumption/growth mentality as in this Crikey article by Andrew Crook.

http://www.crikey.com.au/2011/08/04/dick-smith-get-used-to-pain-retailers-time-to-stop-the-growth-fetish/

There has to be some serious discussion around this, it won't happen in the US for a while given their entrenched cultural blinkers, but hopefully Australia will embrace or consider alternatives in a well managed process of change.

Pelican said;
it won't happen in the US for a while given their entrenched cultural blinkers

Problem is, it has already happened in the US.
A few of the symptoms;
Smaller cities closing down their police forces.
Most states in financial difficulties.
California basically bankrupt.
Many States and counties (local councils) turning roads from tar to gravel.
Bridges not being repaired and being closed.
If you go looking there are many examples of this.
These are all examples of very low or zero growth.

I think it will happen here, and perhaps sooner than we think once
China has to wind back its production and opens its iron ore mines
in Africa. It will then force down the price of iron ore.
Watch out for signs like in the US local councils letting roads go
back to gravel.
We live in interesting times.

I think we need to get away from this more growth mentality asap. We can have a better & cleaner economy via providing quality rather than quantity.
We don't need more hospital beds we just need a better health service. We can reduce obesity, one of the major cancers on our health budgets along with way too generous pays for the health bureaucracy.
Don't blame people, make people accountable. If bureaucrats fail badly then demote them instead of promoting them away only to become an even bigger problem. We need to stop employing bureaucrats according to the Peter Principle.

Bazz
The problems have started in the US but not the enlightenment as to 'why'. And not much bipartisan discussion about what is wrong with the system.

Pelican; from my reading of it, when during 2007 the oil price was
rising it put strain on the average US budget in that food & petrol
went up and people stopped paying their mortgages.
That triggered off the mad sub prime loans debacle.

In 2008 oil hit US$147 a barrel and the US economy just rolled over
dead because the cost of oil exceed 4% of US GDP !

They gave it hits with the defibrillator and it stagged on struggling
to get on its feet. But there was big a backpack that had been loaded
with bricks, ie US$14,000,000,000 debt.

Industry cannot borrow money because there isn't any and that is
because industry has not been able to generate growth.
Growth needs energy, and it had all been used up with no spare
production in 2008. Peak Oil had arrived.

So! everyone's in the hurry to get rich......see the problem yet:)

Yeah, right......sure you do and the world is getting GREENER by the minuet. Oh dear...

Get your solar power as fast as time will permit. Free hot water/grid profits......like I have said.....all will have to go green in the end.

The question is, will our technologies be in time for our lost in space:) I enjoyed the new scripted movie, and maybe it wont come to that, fingers crossed.

LEAP