Functional inefficiency: the unexpected benefits of wasting time and money

Introduction: How inefficiency can be beneficial

Idling workers I: convicts and women

Manufacturing for international markets

Environmental limits: food and water

Environmental limits: food and warming

Functional inefficiency in transportation

Functional inefficiency in healthcare

Consumerism and individual discontent

Consumerism, competition, and social disaffection

Idling workers II: more vacations and paid leaves, fewer hours, and earlier retirement

Physical infrastructure and public goods

Human infrastructure

The service sector and indefinite economic growth

Summary and conclusions.