The Jevons Paradox is bullshit.

[joshcryer]

46. Lest we forget Norman Borlaug's technological efficiencies.

Which led to the doubling of India's population since 1968. I'm not saying it's a bad thing, I think he did a good thing (if tragic in its final unsustainable consequences). I'm saying that this is an efficiency we can tie directly to population growth. So it's not "oh, population grew, efficiency just lagged." No, it's efficiency as the cause for population growth.

Can one imagine a scenario where India underwent a major famine and then went on to have sound population management methods and then be doing a lot better off today? I can't say that's what would've happened, but I don't think that possibility could be ruled out, and I think there are arguments to those ends (Black Plague).

Note: I'm a huge fan of technological efficiency, and I could go in circles about how we could have closed ecosystem cities. But I am ardently against capitalist efficiency, because it goes against the very nature of a closed ecosystem. It's grow or die, full stop.