[coldtea]

>If there shall be no growth, there may be no innovation.

That's not a problem. We already have too much shit for the good of the planet and for the good of our sanity. We should focus on quality, not innovation of more gadgetry.

Considering diseases for example, we could save hundreds of millions with spreading existing drugs and techniques, and give many years or longevity to billions with access to water and food and vaccines, etc, than what we'll "might" do with some (diminishing returns) cutting edge drug research.

We know how to cure lots of diseases people all over the world suffer from, and we don't do it. It takes a lot of hypocrisy to say we need more "growth" and "innovation" to help them.

[gmueckl]

Your focus on consumer gadgets is incredibly narrow and overlooks so many other things where innovation happens and brings true progress to the world.

Also, you can't stop human curiosity and the drive to improve and compete. There has always been progress in arts, science and technology throughout history, no matter what political or theological system reigned at that time.

[coldtea]

>Your focus on consumer gadgets is incredibly narrow and overlooks so many other things where innovation happens and brings true progress to the world.

I find the world worse than 30 years ago, so I'm doubtful about this "true progress". Our progress is just moving along without a clear goal.

>Also, you can't stop human curiosity and the drive to improve and compete.

You can cut off the economic motives for those things, which turn them from a human thing into an inhuman cut-throat compulsion.

[dractori]

In what ways is the world worse? "So why does it feel like the world is in decline? I think it is partly the nature of news coverage. Bad news arrives as drama, while good news is incremental—and not usually deemed newsworthy." http://time.com/5086870/bill-gates-guest-editor-time/

[marvin]

Making existing drugs and medical techniques more available and making water and food more accessible _is_ economic growth.