Copied from Sulekha - Dimwit

These are great thoughts, I want to keep it for chewing...

Skewed Economics

*Value: As defined and included in the GDP of a nation.

If economics drives a nation’s policies, and the goal is to increase the GDP year over year, then guess where value is going to come from?

A tree that stands and nurtures the environment, has no economic value. As soon as an axe cuts it down, it is assigned value.

The grass, the flowers, the plants and all those organic things that make a park for leisure have no economic value. The concrete pavement and the tarred road have value. The buildings, and even parking garages that take over these parks have tremendous value.

Mass produced agricultural produce, transported over great distance, sometimes frozen and then unfrozen for sale, with serious loss of nutrition – has value. Freshly picked produce from a kitchen garden, replete with nutrition – has no value.

Fresh groundwater laboriously filled by the villagers at the well, and then carted home in earthen pots has no economic value. Chlorinated water delivered at your home tap has value.

Solar powered homes reduce consumption of sold electricity, therefore lower GDP. Nuclear plants built to generate electricity add value. Dams and reservoirs that destroy natural landscape add value.

Oil generation has value. Environment destruction in the extraction process is not debited.

Oil traded and used has value. Environment pollution caused by its use is not debited.

A homemaker working at home has no economic value. If she crosses the street and works at another home, there is value.

Mother’s milk has no economic value. Baby formula has value.

Sperm donation, that requires masturbation, is paid for and therefore adds to the GDP. Egg donation, that requires body-invading procedure – it’s illegal to be paid for.

Safe driving has no economic value. A car crash acquires value.

A healthy child has no economic value. A sick one who needs medical care acquires value.

A home cooked meal has no economic value. Packaged and processed food, and restaurant or fast food has value.

A hand made card, a home made gift, a poem written in love, a basket of fresh fruit from your own fruit trees or wildflowers picked from a field have no economic value. Teddy bears stuffed with god-knows what, cheesy greetings written by strangers and printed on a card, sugar laden chocolatey treats, and flowers cut and packaged in plastic acquire value. Guess which one is promoted?

Peace has no value. War generates value - arms production, destruction, and regeneration. Especially war that is waged far away from one’s own country (thereby causing no stoppage of work domestically that could result in loss of value) adds great value to the GDP.

I wonder what it means when a country says that their GDP has increased. I seriously don't know whether to congratulate them or not anymore.