Economics of Human Energy

Thoughts about how money and human energy relate

Leo Guinan

Workers of the world... relax!

Bob Black • The Abolition of Work

In the past jobs were about muscles, now they’re about brains, but in the future, they’ll be about the heart.

Nicholas Goodey • Resistance and Embracing Your Nature

The heart is where the energy lies.

In the US, this began with the launch of TikTok.

Jonah Peretti • The Anti-SNARF Manifesto

this began well before TikTok.

It was always there from the time we networked the first computers together, because it’s the flaw with the economy first and foremost.

Creativity needs time to bloom

Where we invest our time also has a Return on Energy (ROE).

Return on Energy

You don’t need to wait until your curiosity is automatically triggered. Make space for exploring, learning, wondering and mind wandering. Make curiosity a habit.

Anne-Laure Le Cunff • Tweet

Making space is so important

I was unwilling to be trapped by something that looked successful on the outside, but felt like shit on the inside.

All That Remains

Alignment matters the most

“Energy management beats time management.” ― Katherine Morgan Schafler

If this is true (I believe it is), why do companies focus on time management? Because it’s easier and time is shared, energy isn’t (at least, typically. But it can be if done properly…)

Paladin saves the world? Degrowth story.

Barbarian masculine energy saves the world? Degrowth story.

Enlightened sexless bureaucracy saves the world? Degrowth story.

Nurturing feminine energy saves the world? Degrowth story.

Unbridled technological acceleration saves the world? Degrowth story.

Unbridled GDP growth saves the world? Degrowth story.

Saintly

every story is a degrowth story

These I agree are degrowth stories.

I think the connection he’s making is to the book, so that the loss of complexity in society leaves people feeling lost and unvalued, and that leads to societal collapse.

What if we don’t tie society to complexity?