8/21/2019 Tim Jackson Economic Reality Check - Extra Credit

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8/21/2019 Tim Jackson Economic Reality Check - Extra Credit

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experience and ignores or actively discourages the development of other aspects, then

the human beings that inhabit that society will not live lives to the fullest. Essentially

prosperity must be meaningful to human lives. If people are materially wealthy, but

miserable and destructive, then that prosperity does nothing to advance the human

condition. Similarly, a society that is wealthy, but where a great many people live in

poverty, is not using its wealth efficiently. The dow jones being at an all time high does

not mean much if most people do not benefit from this.

It becomes obvious from this examination that some degree of systemic change

is needed. Ironically, economies that need the most change in this regard, being

ensconced in consumerism, will have difficulty enacting this change. If a society

encourages a large number of people to be absorbed in their own lives and ignore the

social and political context in which they live, there will be few in that society that see the

need for change and are able to advocate for that. Furthermore, the powers that be,

which benefit from maintaining the status quo, will actively resist such change and will

often have more resources at their command.

If we are to move towards a world of prosperity and human flourishing,

meaningful prosperity for ourselves and our fellow man, then we will need to a series of

systemic changes to our economic system and the economy of the world and

relentlessly advocate for these changes socially and politically. Jackson recommends

8/21/2019 Tim Jackson Economic Reality Check - Extra Credit

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one way to alter our current system is to enshrine social values in companies and

private entities. Effectively forcing a great deal of private income into social investment.

This could very well do some good, however it must necessarily be a small part of a

large campaign.