Comment by runeks
1 hour ago
> What Jevons paradox actually describes is the situation where usage of a resource becomes more efficient (which means less of it is needed for a given task), but still the total usage of that resource increases.
Why is this stated as a paradox? One simple cause is the given task being performed more than it was before because it is now cheaper (since it uses fewer resources).
In most real-world use of the term, a paradox isn't something that's impossible, it's just something that intuitively seems wrong when you first think about it.
"I got a Prius so now I am spending more money on gas" sounds ridiculous, but it would be an instance of this paradox.
One of the classic examples is highway traffic. You want to prevent traffic jams, so you increase the number of lanes. However, now that there are more lanes, people see less “cost” in driving, leading to even more people driving (e.g. to go on more day trips or as alternative to public transport). This can cause the traffic jams to become even worse.
So, increased efficiency can sometimes not lead to reduced latency, which goes against our natural thinking.