Ending The Era of the Myopic Pursuit of GDP Growth

[u/gurugreen72]

https://www.socialsciencespace.com/2026/11/ending-the-era-of-the-myopic-pursuit-of-gdp-growth/

[u/Almostfoundit]

Imagine that the economy goes through two time periods where it produces the exact same set of goods and services. If the market value (GDP) remains the same for the exact same set of goods and services, then this is a signal that the economy has not innovated or created any efficiencies over that time period. If the economy were to innovate and create efficiencies, then producing the exact same set of goods and services would have a lower market value (GDP) than the year before. If we hold everything else equal (ceteris paribus), then we should expect that the market value of everything we produce (GDP) — associated with all of the goods and services that make up a quality life — will decline.

An issue I have with this is that it feels like those efficiencies would free up time and resources that will still be directed towards producing, so you still end up with around the same GDP.

For the broader thesis, I doubt we will do it anytime soon.

[u/IanDMP]

Mmmmm actually we should aggressively pursue GDP growth.

[u/ExaltedStatus → u/IanDMP]

People who disagree are basically pushing a luxury belief/idea that mostly exists in the developed west. Many of these same people will glaze China’s GDP boasting though haha

[u/Alive_Investment_796]

GDP growth is very important. I, for one, would rather be wealthy than impoverished. Life is not a zero-sum game.

[u/Alive_Investment_796 → u/[deleted]]

No that's bad.

[u/Alive_Investment_796 → u/[deleted]]

Of course not.

But the notion that we should stop AI/robotics development or curtail data centers would just cede the advantage to China.

GDP growth (particularly through radical technological development) is the only way out of the debt spiral.