Counsel for Getting There - Economics and Ecology: United for a Sustainable World - page 170

A Final Word on Growth
At almost every stage of this topic, the analysis has run up against the Growth
Ethic , in one way or another. We conclude with some brief, final comments.
Much of what we say here has been said elsewhere, but we organize it dif-
ferently. The question could arise, especially from the skeptical reader: If
growth is so terrible, why and how has it managed to become our virtual
public religion? Has modern society been on a collective disastrous course
for over 200 years now, or are there advantages to economic growth that you
are not acknowledging?
Fair questions, and remember, the topic of this final chapter is our best ( per-
sonal , not policy ) counsel for proceeding into the world, where social-environ-
mental-economic sustainability might become the prevailing worldview. All
authors are biased, and all statements of any merit are value based, so once
more we reiterate our overriding bias: If you do not live in a world where
sustainability is the pervasive order of the day in all that you do, you live in a
failing world. And it is our overriding purpose to do all we can to promote
social-environmental-economic sustainability for our communities, our
world, ourselves, our children and grandchildren, and all those who follow.
Growth affects us in many ways. Accordingly, we summarize by briefly
discussing a few of the pros and cons of growth, as we see them, in five dif-
ferent and important categories: community, national economy, politics and
culture, environment, and personal.
Community
Pro : Growth is held to be a dynamic factor that keeps a community from
stagnating and, given the obvious mobility of Americans, accommo-
dates the inevitable influx of new people, both by birth and in-migra-
tion. It provides new economic opportunities that allow children
to remain in their communities as they grow up. It creates higher
incomes and salaries, which fund, privately and through taxes, any
amenity the community might want. It creates jobs directly, through
the building trades.
Con : The changes that supposedly avoid stagnation often result in
alienation, whereby features and advantages that people historically
perceive are destroyed by growth. Growth is perceived to serve the
interests of a certain portion of a community only, and thus becomes
polarizing and destructive to civic cooperation. The new incomes
and new taxes rarely fund the changes or the amelioration of the
problems caused, and further controversy results, including inad-
equate public-sector budgets. Building and expansion exacerbate
the consumer culture, in addition to palpable land-use impacts that