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Originally Posted by nik-
Because they're a business and not a social program. They're going to supply a demand while the demand is there. Why are consumers waiting to stop using fossil fuels?
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I really believe this is an issue that should transcend the market demand. The market also demands high-end game machines, cell phones, hairless backs and no bald men, but what does any of that crap matter? What's this magical power we give it that says we just have to do what as the market does? We have the knowledge, we have the resources to this and other incredible things, but just don't. It's so frustrating. Let's pool some stuff together and get this done.
And this whole debacle is just proof that "the market" is not always the true market. They withhold supply to drive up price, they flood the market to drop price. The suppliers control the market, not "demand". Gold, diamonds, precious metals all the way down the list. The scarcity of these things is largely artificial.
Quote:
Originally Posted by accord1999
Profit is an indicator of how much resources you need. The less profit, the more resources you need and the less you have available for something else.
Many millions may die from climate change in the future, but many millions today already die and even more have poorer quality of life due to a lack of access to cheap energy.
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My issue is, a lot of the "something else" seems to be completely meaningless when put in the context of, as you said, potentially millions of deaths.
And many of the ones that happen now are preventable as well, if it wasn't for following the invisible hand like a deity. Clean water for people who need it. Food in places of famine. Cheap energy in remote areas. Proper medical care and housing for everyone. Basic education for our whole species. I believe this stuff could be happening, but because these things get priced out of attability for the majority of the population we just "can't do it." No, we can. We just don't. There's this thing engrained into us that just needs to have more than everyone else.
I honestly think a lot of people are just afraid of the idea of free energy and what it means. Everything would have to change and nobody knows would happen, but THAT's the market I want to see. What does a demand economy look like when energy is free?