35 years of global energy efficiency gains reflected in the world's GDP

[hunter]

5. I'd measure economic "success" by the quality of life the least fortunate in a society experience.

Quality of food, quality of shelter, quality of medical care, quality of education, amount of leisure time, and the general happiness of people.

A "successful" local economy might be very "unproductive" by modern standards; they might well look like a traditional society to outsiders -- no cars, simple housing, clothing (or not) etc., but they would be fully literate and well connected to modern communication systems, have an excellent medical clinic, birth control, excellent schools, even as they lived a very low energy, almost prehistoric "permaculture in the forest" lifestyle.

And there would be intense urban lifestyles available to anyone who wanted that. A high tech, high fashion, high arts life.

And there would be plenty of lifestyles in-between. Organic farmer's, meat and vegetables. Officers and staff of non-fossil fueled cruise ships and railroads. Outer space explorers. People recycling coastal cities and creating new wetlands as oceans rise... unlimited possibilities.

What there would NOT be is endless streets of ugly high energy strip malls, cookie-cutter suburbs, big box stores, auto dealers, "factory farming" and fast food places. What there would not be is coal mines or natural gas fracking.

Your smart phone would be made by happy people who enjoyed their jobs and there would be no human on earth who was "better" than the most ordinary person, not even a person who could not "productive" by our current twisted and sociopathic measures.

Welcome to earth little baby! Have a wonderful time for the short time you will be here!