[weeksie]

Oh why not. Normally I don't get involved in these, but since you thought it was me replying to you all along I feel like I should at least reply :)

What I said is not theoretical. We have examples of zero sum economies, in fact that's how the world was everywhere right up until the industrial revolution.

I would urge you to re-read my original comment, since I address the very point you're making about cooperation inside a zero productivity growth environment. You can pay positive sum games! That's great! However any wealth generated by a positive sum game is, by definition, growth. I'm suspicious that it could be enough to matter. Productivity growth is a big deal.

In any case I am not convinced that zero productivity growth + positive sum games are a stable equilibrium.

Perhaps you could have a zero growth society where frequent jubilees reset everybody's wealth at regular intervals, but I'm not sure how that would work in practice and I'm also not sure it wouldn't be just as bloody as a zero sum land rush after the reset. You could do this with very high inflation levels, perhaps. Might make a fun science fiction short.

I'm hoping you give me a generous reading here, since I have neither the time nor inclination to deep-dive on a lot of my points, and I'm afraid I'd be boring as batshit if I did.

[cjfd]

This sounds like a legitimate fear that one could have. I can't really say I share it, tough. Also, at some point one does have to note that economic growth cannot go on indefinitely, although it is quite clear that it still can go on for quite a while, hopefully in a way that is more environmentally sustainable than the current way things are going.

Another thing to note is that current world GDP certainly is not enough because it leaves many people quite impoverished so we certainly still have some growing to do.