We have three millenniums of warnings against pretty much the type of globalized greed machine we now have created. A machine that basically is a generator of money where world is fed on one side to create electronic symbols, virtual book money, on the other and those who possess these symbols are granted near infinite power of the fate of the world. Erysichthon, Midas and Faust in the computer and space age. And we have our modern day warners, too, which base their assessment not on philosophy but on physics and empirical science. The limits to growth. Global environmental change. The insight that we entered the anthropocene. Popular books like Jared Diamonds "Collapse". Prof. Ehrlich's work, and many others. I believe we must seriously analyze why we systematically ignore the warning and wisdom at the core of all our major religions and a great many of artists and philosophers we adore and instead, by and large, behave exactly the opposite way. What is so tempting about having?
My wild guess (I dare not say hypothesis) is that we are not what we claim to be. We are not Homo Sapiens Sapiens. We are, at best, Homo Sapiens Potentialis. We are not there yet. We are more an unstable in-between between what we like to see and describe as human and that which we tend to define as animals. When I am at work doing technical things my human mind is performing technical tricks, but my motivations and emotions - especially under stress - are dominated by that greedy little monkey inside of me. We all can feel it. Keeping it under control is hard work. I feel it when I see that new Camera of a certain manufacturer. An idiotic feeling of want, because I already have one that suits all my needs. Now the money system that underlies all our economic activities and ultimately defines the incentives is a direct projection of that silly little greedy monkey. Fiat money born with compound interest. I imagine the little monkey sitting on a rotting planetary pile of bananas... actually self replicating bananas...
If I look at the religious stories I get the feeling that there is an aspect of realization, of insight into the true nature of man, and a prescription on how to grow beyond it. What generally is referred to as "mystic insight" might be an even empirically objectifiable process in the brain, and perhaps - this is a very long shot - the ability to reach this stage of integration, the ability to truly abstract from oneself and become objective about the own self - is part of an evolutionary step the species of man is going though. If I project the concept in a science fiction sense, we might see a creature at the end that is quasi enlightened, intelligent, calm and compassionate. And yet perhaps what we call psychopathy is also an evolutionary step beyond the animal nature. Dis-compassionate and fearless predators... who knows...
In any case the answer is not in economics - certainly as long as economics removes itself from reality and dwells in an entirely artificial dream world of virtual ideas and models. The warnings are on the table. Even officially. Quite some time ago the European Union published a report titled "Late Lessons from Early Warnings". Many examples there on where the precautionary principle failed. Oxford University has an institute for the Future of Humanity, headed by Nick Bostrom. One core theme: existential risk. See fore example: http://www.existential-risk.org/concept.html
The cards are on the table. Renewable energy alone or tinkering a bit with new banking regulations or off shore investment controls will make no major difference whatsoever, and gibberish talk about increasing productivity (i.e. financial output per employee) or GDP will not solve the problem but merely accelerate the downfall.
The theme is ages old. And if the roots are not taken out, the weeds will continue to spread. Unfortunately there is no gardener to do that, there is no grown up to take our dangerous toys away. But there was advice from wise men and women throughout history who seem to have been somewhat more grown up than the rest of us. Either mankind listens, or perishes. Both is fine for nature.
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