Saturday, January 10, 2009

"We often promise developing countries that if they will only adopt good policies — for example, institute honest government and a free-market economy — they, too, will be able to enjoy a first-world lifestyle. This promise is impossible, a cruel hoax: we are having difficulty supporting a first-world lifestyle even now for only one billion people."

1 comment:

Anonymous said...

I don't think it's necessary that they'll enjoy a first-world lifestyle - just a considerably better one.

It should be obvious to most observers that a first-world lifestyle is completely unsustainable. It's just kind of sad to me that all our attempts to reign in our consumption and wastefulness have begun with more consumption - new hybrid cars, etc. I don't think we'll ever get it.