Jevons’ Paradox

The Spector of Jevons’ Paradox is an essay in which explains how one should save themselves. It states that it should not be done by stopping everythin you’re doing but by doing the same things but with less energy efficient products. This is explained through whats cailed the Rebound Effect. He states that It is a confusion of ideas to suppose that economical use of fuel is equivalent to diminished consumption. Two examples of this are gas and fuel. With this said there is much emphasis on consumer spending. He states that “The vast bureaucracy of institutional, governmental and corporate paper pushers
will become an unaffordable luxury. The risk of systemic collapse is very real for a
complex social system predicated on abundant energy. In this light, the drive for
improvements in resource efficiencies can be seen as a critical objective for state security
and preservation of the system of production. In an economic system that requires the
constant externalization of its true operating costs to sustain itself, every measurable
increase in resource efficiency will serve to perpetuate this "desires-based" economy.” Because there is a demand to increase the quality of life this makes us spend more and keep on spending. If we were to stop spending, then our “quality” of life would decrease. Javons’ Paradox also talks about the sea of "selves" and how our steadfast refusal to surrender illusions of freedom for the sake of collective survival and well-being are conditioning us to fail. This makes us feel that we would have to go back to civilizations before to even come close to saving ourselves.
Jevons’ Paradox states that there are five aspects of the human tactical, moral, silly, civic and divine. These are aspects which govern the dynamics within social groupings. Bailey's analyzes the Civic and Devine which he feels these are the center of social life, its reason to be. He states “The civic alludes to the set of rights, obligations and responsibilities that bind the collective to the individual and vice versa. The divine alludes to the notion of something greater than one's self and that the activities of the collective are significant in relation to the world.”
I liked the essay because it helps explain the pros and cons of saving ones self. While many people think it’s either one way or no way he explains that doing the same things but with less energy efficient is the right way to do it. This is somewhat a tribute to Veteran’s Day because it shows how they are fighting for us and for the “oil” we need to maintain our spending habits and maintain our quality of life.