Ventures of an ex indie game developer

Economy and world is changing

In Sweden today, 25% of the young adults are unemployed. 50 years ago, a lot of predictions about the future included everybody being 60% unemployed/free. Some will describe the youth unemployment as a problem in itself, but on a national-economical level it surely isn't, as Sweden is doing fine. Better than fine, it is one of the best performers in Europe.

The well-being for the population at large in the west today has very little to do with unemployment, as we've tripled our production-efficiency since the 1930ies, but we're not producing three times as much value. A lot of it is shait, which means that a lot of the work being done is meaningless work. A lot of it spent in meetings or administration.

The problem lies with those that do the pointless jobs and those that have pointless free time all the time.

The up until now ever expanding economy will have to come to a full stop at some point in time. And as the economy is based upon what Mother Nature has to offer, we're growing at her expense; the economy requires matter or energy, everything else is not economy. (And everyone should be aware by now that matter and energy are the same, as Einstein made that very clear 110 years ago.)

There is a common solution for the unemployment meaninglessness, the employment meaninglessness and the destruction of our environment, and that involves going away from profit and moving towards a balance in the giving and taking. Eventually we might hopefully all feel the joy of giving and the gratitude of taking, but exactly how that will come about, I have no clue.

The Elon Musk way is certainly a step in the right direction: environmental-friendly cars, the biggest solar power company in the west, electricity storage for the poor in remote locations, open and brilliant ideas to help humanity and the environment, open patents and so forth.

The question that begs an answer is that about the switch. (No not that switch!) How is it going to come about, and how can we make it a good one? I've got no answers, just more questions. But at least I'm enjoying the questions.

About the author

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Gothenburg, Sweden