ABSTRACT
If perpetual growth is impossible, new types of narratives are necessary in order to frame the sustainability issue. Having acknowledged the existence of biophysical constraints we can no longer use the conventional economic analysis aimed at achieving maximum speed of growth forever. In this chapter we argue that humans have an extraordinary ability to adapt, to which we refer as the “Robinson Crusoe effect”. However, in order to unleash this power humans have to stop their denial and the related spread of impossible expectations across the planet (a poisoned legacy of the cold war). According to what is presented in this book, we believe that the MuSIASEM approach can be used to facilitate a better understanding of the nature, stability and implications of the sustainability predicament. In any case, sustainability solutions cannot be found by looking only for better scientific models or for better technology, they will also require more reflexivity in deliberating about the future.
