Comments on: The circular root https://www.themintmagazine.com/the-circular-root/ Published by Promoting Economic Pluralism Mon, 20 May 2024 14:16:08 +0000 hourly 1 https://wordpress.org/?v=6.9.1 By: Willy Diddens https://www.themintmagazine.com/the-circular-root/#comment-38474 Sun, 10 Mar 2024 12:05:09 +0000 https://www.themintmagazine.com/?p=48939#comment-38474 “circular economy”, as opposed to “linear”, is as such a (geometric) metaphor. It involves a degree of arbitrariness. If you choose e.g. the term “spiral economy”, you suggest a combination of sustainability and growth.
The term “circular economy” may be wrongly chosen. It implies a continuous return to the point of departure and the urgent need for “no waste” and efficiency. In this context, well-functioning machines seem an appropriate metaphor. So, the conceptual limitations generated by the underlying metaphor should be taken into consideration as well.

]]> By: Guy Dauncey https://www.themintmagazine.com/the-circular-root/#comment-38473 Sat, 09 Mar 2024 17:50:23 +0000 https://www.themintmagazine.com/?p=48939#comment-38473 Thanks for this! The whole metaphor of the economy as a machine (including the circular economy) serves to remove human agency. It plays into the mistaken belief that there are objective economic laws, which is a smokescreen designed to hide what’s really happening, which is competitive players fighting for power.

The forest metaphor might mislead us too, if it assumes that all species in a forest are cooperative, symbiotically working together, with the Mother Tree (Suzanne Simard) lending a helping hand. In reality, every species is simultaneously seeking sunlight (grow tall!) and depending on the other species.

Here’s a third metaphoric possibility: a superior visitor from space telling us all “If you don’t get your shit together and learn to to cooperate with Nature, you’re all going to be gonners!” 🙂

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