Quote Originally Posted by Crocodile View Post
I think I'm just being realistic and not idealistic. I think the term "moderate consumption" is very subjective. Is that necessary to drive a car? Depends, isn't it? Some people are ready to work really hard to get their two islands and a Moon. Why should they be fundamentally deprived of that right?
Why deprived? If there are spare islands and moons -- why not? The problem with capitalism, as many 'classics' before me have noticed is the competition. Oh, I admit, that this makes people try to make their goods better and cheaper, but from the other hand it creates production overtake. If you compare world's economy with a living organism, you'll probably get it with three hearts, several dozen legs and arms, two, maybe three heads, and shockingly -- several brains as well. This organism will probably be quite a survivor, but at the same time a grossly inefficient one.

The surplus production, however, has to be consumed and thus they start building things that would last for probably a year or little more (I know it since my mobile phones stop working regularly every year). Millions of people produce these assorted surpluses (creating pollution and spending the valuable resources along the way, some of which are even non-renewable). Isn't it a shame that we have starving people on a planet where more than enough food is produced to feed everyone?