[DesuMaiden]

I realized that the whole world economy is an unsustainable pyramid scheme a few months ago. It requires infinite growth based on constant expansion of the money supply. The bottom line is that the whole world economy requires infinite growth. But infinite growth is impossible on a finite planet. This is why the whole world economy is destined to fail.

We must reform the economy. We must get rid of debt-based currency. Money is created when debt is issued. Debt is money. You create debt whenever you use money with interest attached to it. The economy must constantly grow in order for the debt and money supply to constantly grow. But the economy has limits to how big it can grow because there is only so much natural resources on this planet.

[Subjectivist]

Good luck with that, I figured it out in Econ class back around 1989. Those that benefit from the system won't change it, and they have all the power.

[DesuMaiden]

Good luck with that, I figured it out in Econ class back around 1989. Those that benefit from the system won't change it, and they have all the power.

This infinite growth paradigm will have to end if we are going to survive as a species. Infinite growth in population and consumption is not possible on a finite planet. We are pursing infinite growth in population and consumption on a finite planet.

We are basically like a speeding run-away train that's about to crash into a wall. We better jump off this train before it crashes into the wall. This train is metaphorically the infinite growth paradigm.

[SeaGypsy]

More like a train racing down a track where the track builders are running out of materials to keep building railway, where the driver is drunk with speed & refusing to consider using the brakes. Eventually the train overtakes the railway builders & the train does what trains do when they run out of track.

[DesuMaiden]

More like a train racing down a track where the track builders are running out of materials to keep building railway, where the driver is drunk with speed & refusing to consider using the brakes. Eventually the train overtakes the railway builders & the train does what trains do when they run out of track.

Good point.

[SeaGypsy]

Most of the passengers only have a side view, in other words, they only see where the train is now, not where it is going. The brave few who have such their necks out the window or the gaps between carriages to see what lies ahead have hit the emergency alarm miles ago, the driver sent messages back that their concerns are under consideration by management & when a decision is made passengers will be notified. Meanwhile there are specials galore in the buffet!

[DesuMaiden]

Here's the proof. Read this article and find out yourself.

www.dailykos.com/story/2009/03/01/70330 ... mid-Scheme

I think this was a pretty interesting find...

[Lore]

I believe we have discussed capitalism as an unsustainable pyramid scheme here many times throughout the years

[dolanbaker]

Two threads asking almost the same question?

[dolanbaker]

More realistically, the train driver isn't suicidal and will see the signals are red and stop and the passengers will probably start to riot as they get fed up waiting for the train to move.

[Pops]

So in a situation where the population has been increasing at a high rate for many generations, explain to me the type of economy that doesn't grow?

An economy of a dozen people will be larger than one of 3 people, unless you think they should each only do one quarter the productive work - work being where growth comes from.

These discussions are pointless. It is as if you folks have never asked for a raise or borrowed to make a purchase or aspired to own property, or worked at a job that produced tangible (or otherwise) profit; all of which cause the economy to grow. The only way for the economy to NOT grow when the population IS growing is for everyone to become poorer.

[Pops]

BTW, Desu, just one thread per topic at a time please

[Lore]

I believe the only conclusion, as mentioned sometime ago, is for the human population to get off the idea of wealth accumulation of things and stuff as being the only and primary measure of prosperity.

The question being, is a person better off with a healthier mind, body and spirit then having the temporal wealth of objects? A subject which has been at the center of many religions and cultures since the dawn of modern humans.

[DesuMaiden]

Two threads asking almost the same question?

One question is asking if you realize debt-based money is a pyramid scheme. The other is asking if you know capitalism is a pyramid scheme. I think they are two totally different topics, so I don't understand why those two topics were merged together.

[dolanbaker]

Two threads asking almost the same question?

One question is asking if you realize debt-based money is a pyramid scheme. The other is asking if you know capitalism is a pyramid scheme. I think they are two totally different topics, so I don't understand why those two topics were merged together.

Capitalism and the economics of capitalism are the same, just depends which side of the elephant you're looking at.