--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: There is a real fear around shifting from…" description: "\"There is a real fear around shifting from our existing economic system because people believe it gives us social organisation, a sense of freedom, and ..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/tim-jackson-22847_ability_there-is-a-real-fear-around-shifting-fro_2412223.jpg" --- # There is a real fear around shifting from our existing… ![“There is a real fear around shifting from our existing economic system because people believe it gives us social organisation, a sense of freedom, and the ability to be nice to each other. Growth is seen as a social lubricant that allows us to be socially responsible.” quote by Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/tim-jackson-22847_ability_there-is-a-real-fear-around-shifting-fro_2412223.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/tim-jackson-22847_ability_there-is-a-real-fear-around-shifting-fro_2412223.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/97f/tim-jackson-22847_ability_there-is-a-real-fear-around-shifting-fro_2412223.jpg) > “There is a real fear around shifting from our existing economic system because people believe it gives us social organisation, a sense of freedom, and the ability to be nice to each other. Growth is seen as a social lubricant that allows us to be socially responsible.” [Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-jackson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. People fear abandoning the current economy because it seems to provide social order, freedom, and kindness; growth is viewed as the glue that enables responsibility. **In simple terms:** Fear of losing social stability drives resistance to change. Key Takeaway Recognize that alternative systems can also foster community. Themes economics social change growth fear community Mood anxious hopeful Type critical philosophical When to use this quote - policy reform - community building - alternative currencies - urban planning Key Concepts sustainability social contract systems thinking Questions to Reflect On - What social structures would you preserve in a new system? - How can we design growth that truly serves responsibility? A Different Perspective Growth alone cannot guarantee ethical outcomes; cultural values also matter. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Ability](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ability/) [Around](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/around/) [Be nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/be-nice/) [Because](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/because/) [Believe](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/believe/) [Each](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/each/) [Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic/) [Economic People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-people-6077425/) [Economic system](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economic-system/) [Economics](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/economics/) [Existing](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existing/) [Existing Economic](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/existing-economic-6077426/) [Fear](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear/) [Fear Shifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/fear-shifting-4821637/) [Freedom](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/freedom/) [Gives](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gives/) [Growth](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/growth/) [Nice](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nice/) [Organisation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/organisation/) [Other](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/other/) [Our](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/our/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Real](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/real/) [Responsible](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/responsible/) [Seen](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/seen/) [Sense](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/sense/) [Shifting](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/shifting/) [Social](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social/) [Social Organisation](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/social-organisation-310135/) [Socially](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/socially/) [System](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/system/) [Us](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/us/) ## Related quotes > [She lived in fear of his shifting moods, his volatile temperament, his insistence on steering even mundane exchanges down a confrontational path that, on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/khaled-hosseini/she-lived-in-fear-of-his-shifting-moods-his-volatile-temperament-his/) [Khaled Hosseini](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/khaled-hosseini/) > [Poverty is multidimensional. 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Bitez](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/p-a-bitez/) > [If you like your existing plan you get to keep it](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/barack-obama/if-you-like-your-existing-plan-you-get-to-keep-it/) [Barack Obama](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/barack-obama/) > [“You existing in the world is all I need.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/sarah-rees-brennan/you-existing-in-the-world-is-all-i-need/) [Sarah Rees Brennan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/sarah-rees-brennan/) > [“Creativity means bringing simplicity to the existing.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/amit-kalantri/creativity-means-bringing-simplicity-to-the-existing/) [Amit Kalantri](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/amit-kalantri/) > [By delivering a wide array of programming to YouTube, the NBA will be able to connect with its existing worldwide fan base and reach…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chad-hurley/by-delivering-a-wide-array-of-programming-to-youtube-the-nba-will-be/) [Chad Hurley](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chad-hurley/) > [We have a lot of existing customers which are also considering Linux desktop migrations and rolling out some of these programs, so we're learning…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/miguel-de-icaza/we-have-a-lot-of-existing-customers-which-are-also-considering-linux/) [Miguel de Icaza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/miguel-de-icaza/) > [“Are you happy? It doesn’t matter! Are you unhappy? It doesn’t matter! What matters is whether you exist or not! Are you laughing? It…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/mehmet-murat-ildan/are-you-happy-it-doesn-t-matter-are-you-unhappy-it-doesn-t-matter/) [Mehmet Murat ildan](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/mehmet-murat-ildan/) > [Deepen your existing spiritual commitment.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/dan-buettner/deepen-your-existing-spiritual-commitment/) [Dan Buettner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/dan-buettner/) ## More by Tim Jackson > [“Every society clings to a myth by which it lives. Ours is the myth of economic growth.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-jackson/every-society-clings-to-a-myth-by-which-it-lives-ours-is-the-myth-of/) [Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-jackson/) > [“The overriding aim of this book is to seek viable responses to the biggest dilemma of our times: reconciling our aspirations for the good…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-jackson/the-overriding-aim-of-this-book-is-to-seek-viable-responses-to-the/) [Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-jackson/) > [We have stood up and said continuing growth in the Western world is unjust, inappropriate and potentially destabilising. 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This form of capitalism with this structure and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-jackson/big-companies-are-reliant-on-institutional-investors-on-a-punishing/) [Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-jackson/) > [Novelty is adaptive when things are changing and you need to adapt yourself. Tradition is essential to lay down the stability to raise families…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-jackson/novelty-is-adaptive-when-things-are-changing-and-you-need-to-adapt/) [Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-jackson/) > [The history of jazz for the last 45 years has come through the Monterey Jazz Festival stages. I think there's developed a legacy and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-jackson/the-history-of-jazz-for-the-last-45-years-has-come-through-the/) [Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-jackson/) > [In short, avoiding the scourge of unemployment may have less to do with chasing after growth and more to do with building an economy…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-jackson/in-short-avoiding-the-scourge-of-unemployment-may-have-less-to-do/) [Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-jackson/) > [The default assumption is that - financial crises aside - growth will continue indefinitely. Not just for the poorest countries, where a better quality…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-jackson/the-default-assumption-is-that-financial-crises-aside-growth-will/) [Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-jackson/) > [On the mathematical side, you could in principle build a society in which people were fulfilling their needs and flourishing as human beings in…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-jackson/on-the-mathematical-side-you-could-in-principle-build-a-society-in/) [Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-jackson/) > [Questioning growth is deemed to be the act of lunatics, idealists and revolutionaries. But question it we must.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tim-jackson/questioning-growth-is-deemed-to-be-the-act-of-lunatics-idealists-and/) [Tim Jackson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tim-jackson/) > [The philosophical point is that our happiness and wellbeing is not based on incomes rising. 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But I think because I was so concerned about it…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/gus-kenworthy/i-don-t-think-there-s-a-direct-correlation-between-my-sexuality-and/) [Gus Kenworthy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/gus-kenworthy/) > [“the importance of ability. The things that make a great job great, I discovered, are rare and valuable. 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