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TED Business

Will the end of economic growth come by design — or disaster? | Gaya Herrington

Dec 9, 2024
In this insightful discussion, Gaya Herrington, an environmentalist and economist, challenges the notion of endless economic growth. She advocates for reimagining our economy to prioritize well-being and sustainability over mere growth. Herrington explores the paradox of growth, its detrimental impacts on society and the environment, and proposes cooperative models that empower communities. By shifting our focus to 'enough for each,' she inspires a vision for a more equitable and sustainable future, asking whether we can achieve this transformation by design rather than disaster.
14:48

Episode guests

Podcast summary created with Snipd AI

Quick takeaways

  • The podcast challenges the traditional belief that economic growth is synonymous with progress, urging a reevaluation of priorities towards well-being and ecological sustainability.
  • It emphasizes the importance of redefining success by adopting a framework that values resource sharing and limits on growth to ensure a harmonious society.

Deep dives

Reassessing Growth and Progress

The podcast highlights the misconception that growth is synonymous with progress. It examines how our economic system prioritizes growth over addressing critical issues like poverty and environmental degradation. Historical context is provided, illustrating that growth was not always viewed as a moral goal, yet over time it has become ingrained in our policies and collective mindset. This shift has resulted in concerning ecological and social outcomes, which prompt a need for reevaluating what constitutes true progress in society.

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