The Great Simplification with Nate Hagens

7 Meta Questions About Our Global Metabolism | Frankly #59

Apr 4, 2024

Geoffrey West discusses biological scaling applied to human economies, questioning if we can create paths to less resource consumption or if we are bound by nature's laws. They explore population growth, energy use, societal metabolism change, decentralization impacts, weight loss drugs, chemicals on metabolism, and decision-making for future generations.

15:15

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Episode guests

Geoffrey West

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Episode notes

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Quick takeaways

Efficiency increases with size in energy use, but societal interactions show a superlinear scaling, impacting global economy.

Capitalism's role in conforming to metabolic laws and shaping societal structures raises questions about energy principles.

Deep dives

Metabolic Scaling Laws in Nature

The podcast delves into how metabolism and energy use scale in animals, ecosystems, and humans, following Klyber's law that states energy use scales to the three-quarter power of size. This sublinear scaling indicates increased efficiency with larger size. Additionally, societal interactions exhibit a supralinear scaling above one in products, innovation, and technology, influencing the total global economy's adherence to Klyber's law with GDP and energy use. The correlation between economic growth and energy consumption over the years is highlighted, emphasizing the intricate connection between metabolism and societal development.

Introduction

3min

The Interplay of Population Growth, Energy Use, and Social Organization

5min

Exploring Decentralization, Population Distribution, and Weight Loss Drugs

2min

Exploring the Impact of Chemicals on Metabolism and Societal Equivalents

3min

Rethinking Decision-Making and Environmental Impacts for Future Generations

2min

Recorded April 4 2024

Description

Based on this week’s podcast episode with Geoffrey West, which covered how biological scaling applies to human economies, this week’s Frankly is a reflection on what this might mean for the future of our societies. Throughout history and up to today, there are scaling patterns driving our social and infrastructural metabolism - potentially shedding light on some long debated questions about the limits of our ability to design our societies. Do we as humans have the agency to create different paths towards less resource consumption, or are we trapped within a previously hidden law of nature? Will the resource and waste limitations of our biosphere force us to live differently, regardless of our choices? More hopefully, can understanding we have a metabolism change our metabolism, and steer futures away from the current default?

Watch on Youtube: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7qb-9CMM6Ac

For Show Notes and More: https://www.thegreatsimplification.com/frankly-original/59-7-meta-questions-about-our-global-metabolism

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