ABSTRACT
Our societal ethic is in transition. We are shifting gradually from the growth ethic to the development ethic. The growth ethic, which drove the Industrial Revolution, basically says that only those things that can be measured quantitatively should be taken into consideration when attempting to improve our quality of life. It is a product of the U.S.’s love affair with the scientific method that has been the wellspring of our tremendous economic and technological advancements. “Growth,” by definition, is based on the ongoing desire to get bigger. This ongoing quest to gain “more” of things that are physically measurable and frequently limited creates a competitive environment.
