I just wonder biologically, are we capable of something kind of flat? What do you think about that? Well, consider what some of the consequences would be. For one thing, birth rates have to equal death rates. How many of us are willing to put up with that? It also means that for someone to ascend the economic ladder, someone else has to go down by the same amount. This is what steady state means. I mean, these are two of the main reasons why I just don't see a steady state economy as politically feasible.
On this episode we meet with archaeologist, historian, and Professor at Utah State University, Joe Tainter.
What are the key differences between complicated and complex? How can we better understand energy and society through these key distinctions? Tainter explains our current predicament based on decades of research and offers pathways for our collective future.
About Joe Tainter
Joe Tainter has been a professor at Utah State University in the Environment and Society Department since 2007, serving as Department Head from 2007 to 2009. His study of why societies collapse led to research on sustainability, with emphasis on energy and innovation. He has also conducted research on land-use conflict and human responses to climate change. He has written several books, including The Collapse of Complex Societies and Drilling Down: The Gulf Oil Debacle and Our Energy Dilemma.
For Show Notes and Transcript visit: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/episode/27-joe-tainter