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The Economics of Happiness (2011)
Went to see The Economics of Happiness at our local Picturehouse cinema last night.
The basic message: globalisation bad, localisation good.
The first part of that was powerful and convincing: global consumerism—in which the global corporations are king, and in which endless growth in GDP is the goal—is really messing everything up.
The second part of the message was equally explicit but much less convincing: that if we embrace localisation, we will enter a state of perpetual bliss. That's just madness. Now, I'm definitely very much in favour of localisation, but the problem with the human condition is much, much deeper, and changing our patterns of production and consumption won't resolve it. So let's pursue localisation, and embrace it for the good thing it is, but let's not make an idol of it.
Anyway, here's the trailer:
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about 10 months ago
Whatever consumerism is, I am sure that it wouldn't make global corporations king, as they would want to increase prices and so reduce the supply of consumer goods; on the other hand it would allow them to trade and compete.
about 10 months ago
Increased prices do not always lead to increased profits, surely?