[pilgrim0]

I think because settling for less is just not an option, progress at large would be hindered with a pressure for using less energy, even though it’s the right thing, arguably. Hence demand for more energy itself propels progress and innovation.

[_heimdall]

If we're meant to believe climate predictions coming out of the UN and similar, potential innovation spurred by an increase in energy production would slam face first into the wall of climate catastrophe even faster.

I'm not even saying I put much faith behind those predictions, but in the context of contradicting climate concerns with tech "innovation" requiring such massive amounts of energy it seems pertinent. We can't have it both ways, either most agree that the climate concerns are baseless or we accept that we collectively would be choosing to destroy the planet faster in the name of progress and innovation.

"Progress" itself is such an interesting term. There's no directionality to it, the only meaning is that we aren't standing still. There's nothing baked into progress that would stop us from progressing right off a cliff, I suppose unless we're already off the cliff and progress could change that.