Energy drives the economy, economics informs policy, and policy affects social outcomes. Since the oil crises of the 1970s, pundits have debated the validity of this sequence, but most economists and politicians still ignore it. Thus, they delude the public about the underlying influence of energy costs and constraints on economic policies that address such pressing contemporary issues as income inequality, growth, debt, and climate change. To understand why, Carey King explores the scientific and rhetorical basis of the competing narratives both within and between energy technology and economics.

Energy and economic discourse seems to mirror Newton's 3rd Law of Motion: For every narrative there is an equal and opposite counter-narrative. The competing energy narratives pit "drill, baby, drill!" against renewable technologies such as wind and solar. Both claim to provide secure, reliable, clean, and affordable energy to support economic growth with the most benefit to society, but how? To answer this question, we need to understand the competing economic narratives , techno-optimism and techno-realism. Techno-optimism claims that innovation overcomes any physical resource constraints and enables the social outcomes and economic growth we desire. Techno-realism, in contrast, states that no matter what energy technologies we use, feedbacks from physical growth on a finite planet constrain economic growth and create an uneven distribution of social impacts. In The Economic Superorganism , you will discover stories, data, science, and philosophy to guide you through the arguments from competing narratives on energy, growth, and policy. You will be able to distinguish the technically possible from the socially viable, and understand how our future depends on this distinction.

Outlines the five global economic trends that must be addressed by any holistic and meaningful policy for a sustainable future Empowers readers to question promises of more economic growth and income equity without specific policies to distribute income more equally From "drill, baby drill to claims that solar costs inevitably decline, King explains how techno-optimism enables both fossil and renewable advocates to speak past each other

Autorentext
Carey King works at the University of Texas at Austin as Research Scientist and Assistant Director of the Energy Institute and lecturer in the McCombs School of Business. Formally educated as a mechanical engineer studying dynamics and nonlinear systems, he performs research with scholars across disciplines from physics, geology, economics, and ecology to understand how energy systems interact within the economy and environment as well as how our policy and social systems make decisions and trade-offs among competing factors.

Inhalt

Preface.- Acknowledgments.- Part I The Narratives and The Data.- 1 Energy and Economic Narratives.- 2 Energy and Food: The Megatrend of Megatrends.- 3 The Energy Narratives: Fossil Fuels versus Renewables.- 4 Other Megatrends.- 5 Systems Thinking for Energy and the Economy: Size and Structure.- 6 Macromodel on the Wall, How Does Growth Occur, After All?.- 7 Summary of U.S. Energy and Economic Trends.- 8 A Narrative that Works for Both Energy and Economics.- 9 Delusions of Control.- 10 Scenarios and Trends of The Future.- References.- A Appendix.- Index.