All consumption comes from this ecosystem, this planet and in the lust of our blind consumption, we destroy life for everybody. As technology progresses, you will probably be able to consume more with impunity.There is a consumption that is needed for basic physical sustenance and comfort,then there is consumption that happens for entirely different psychological reasons. It is the second type of consumption that I am always worried about.
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Questioner: Sir, you say that the only solution to climate change is to arrest man’s tendency to consume. Tomorrow, if science comes up with a way to let current levels of consumption sustain, along with also reducing carbon emission, what is wrong with that?
Acharya Prashant: What the questioner is saying is, that you speak against consumption because it leads to climate change. Now if we can have superior technology, more efficient technology, which offers us sustenance of our current levels of consumption, along with carbon footprints reduction, would that be acceptable? That's being asked.
You see, first of all, yes we do need such technology. So, I wish the question materializes beyond its hypothesis. We do need technology that offers at least the same level of production with lower carbon footprints. So that is one part.
Next thing, when I say that you must look very carefully at your levels of consumption, it is for two reasons. Your question addresses just one of them.
