The anthropological stakes of degrowth by Onofrio Romano

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The anthropological stakes of degrowthby
Onofrio Romano

• Department of Social and Historical Sciences
• University of BariCorso Italia, 23 - 70123 Bari
• Tel. [phone]  (39) 080 571
  8033  (7729)Fax [phone]E-mail
  o.romano_at_scienzepolitiche.uniba.it

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Current critical pattern against the society of
growth

• a radical change is an absolute need in
  order to prevent a brutal and tragic catastrophe
  (S. Latouche)
• The defence of life for life translates the
  neutralist root of utilitarian political
  philosophy
• The principle of growth for growth is
  equivalent to the principle of life for life

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Current critical pattern against the society of
growth

• The well-having causes a reduction of
  well-being (S. Latouche)
• Unlimited, infinitely positive quest for being
  better and better.
• The ultimate goal still remains the quest for
  immanent well-being

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Anthropological outcomes

• The anthropological and imaginary structure of
  modernity remains completely untouched
• The strategy of degrowth works only as an
  artificial breathing device in order to keep a
  exhausted model of society the modern one
  alive.

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Another sense of degrowth

• The general economy by Georges Bataille
• Growth is not condemned for threatening life, but
  because it is not adequate for catalysing the
  excess energy.
• The exceeding energy is to be cleared, erased,
  for it is in itself an element of anxiety

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Another sense of degrowth

• The aim of being is not existence but dépense.
• We shouldnt fear catastrophe, but rather its
  de-qualification
• The challenge is in requalifying the paths of
  waste, and not preserving the existence

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Which society of degrowth?

• In the society of degrowth we find ourselves
  naked in the face of the chasm of non-sense.
• We need to reinterpret degrowth, first of all, as
  an overturning of the process of unlimited
  promotion and valorization of the living being
• Requalifying and resocializing dépense, in the
  framework of a new consumerist communism