In that case if the blocks aren't physical or natural resources only the analogy starts to fall apart a bit, since you'd have to consider productivity and what we define as being more productive. The computer or plow or any of a number of innovation would have created blocks that weren't there before. Hard to anticipate the future. I do think our definitions of growth, value and productivity are major issues. In the end the economy and society has to transition to growth being defined as progress toward true sustainability, or at least the closest thing to it that can be achieved on a finite world that will eventually end no matter what is done on am absurd enough time scale.

You misunderstand me, I agree, just trying to generate discussion. I think the grey goo consuming the universe is the horrible hellish end result of infinite growth and a good argument that at some point moderation, priorities, and a "good enough" need to be declared. Also maybe thinking instead of growth about transformation, that innovation and newness doesn't always have to mean ever increasing consumption. What "blocks" could be exchanged for other new and interesting "blocks" instead possibly. How could the blocks be better arranged?

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