THE ECONOMIC SUPERORGANISM

Energy drives the economy economics informs policy and policy affects social outcomes Since the oil crises of the 1970s pundits have debated the validity of this sequence but most economists and politicians still ignore it Thus they delude the public about the underlying influence of energy costs and constraints on economic policies that address such pressing contemporary issues as income inequality growth debt and climate change To understand why Carey King explores the scientific and rhetorical basis of the competing narratives both within and between energy technology and economics Energy and economic discourse seems to mirror Newton s 3rd Law of Motion For every narrative there is an equal and opposite counter narrative The competing energy narratives pit drill baby drill against renewable technologies such as wind and solar Both claim to provide secure reliable clean and affordable energy to support economic growth with the most benefit to society but how To answer this question we need to understand the competing economic narratives techno optimism and techno realism Techno optimism claims that innovation overcomes any physical resource constraints and enables the social outcomes and economic growth we desire Techno realism in cont