Show threadmmalcJun 9

@EarthOrgUK

In case it's of interest, I just published an article on the general topic but using it as a foil to show why good policy isn't always sufficient — you have to take Sam Vimes's “Boots theory of socioeconomic unfairness” into account as well.

https://mmalc-x-machina.ghost.io/heat-pumps-and-boots/

#BootsTheory
#HeatPumps
#GreenPolicy

Heat Pumps and Boots

"Labour bans traditional tumble dryers to impose Brussels Net Zero madness on Britain." The Express (June 8th, 2026), unsurprisingly. It won't get a link. The policy is worth defending. So is the scrutiny it isn't getting — because there is a real problem here, and it's not the one the Express

mmalc X Machina
Show threadmmalcJun 9

However: government could pair mandate with means-tested £150 top-up for e.g. bottom quintile of households with dryer (perhaps 1.5–2 million eligible in any given replacement cycle)

That's £225–300 million total exposure, but:

1. *Spread over a decade of natural replacement cycles*, annual liability is modest

2. Comparing to aggregate energy savings accruing to those same households and *it likely pays for itself in reduced fuel poverty support costs*

3/n

#HeatPump #UKPol #BootsTheory

Show threadmmalcJun 9

For typical UK household doing laundry 3+ times/week, payback is probably in 2–3 year range — after which you're simply banking the saving. For occasional users, it stretches to 4–5 years, but even then well ahead over a 10+ year appliance lifetime.

But: £150 is non-trivial additional sum for large number (probably 2.7–3.6 million) of low-income households.

-> Example of the “Sam Vimes theory of socioeconomic unfairness“ — https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boots_theory.

#HeatPump
#UKPol
#BootsTheory

2/n

Boots theory - Wikipedia

NotQuiteSuperhumanMay 27

Sometimes being poor is expensive in ways people don’t immediately see. The “boots theory” explains why cheap products, short-term survival decisions, and disposable systems can keep people stuck spending more over time.

#BootsTheory #TerryPratchett #PlannedObsolescence #EconomicReality #NotQuiteSuperhuman

https://notquitesuperhuman.com/2026/05/27/wet-feet-and-broken-systems-understanding-the-boots-theory/?utm_source=mastodon&utm_medium=jetpack_social

Wet Feet and Broken Systems: Understanding the Boots Theory - Not Quite Superhuman

Sometimes being poor is expensive in ways people don’t immediately see. The “boots theory” explains why cheap products, short-term survival decisions, and disposable systems can keep people stuck spending more over time. #BootsTheory #TerryPratchett #PlannedObsolescence #EconomicReality #NotQuiteSuperhuman

Not Quite Superhuman
Show threadkrisMay 18
#bootstheory
Pteryx the Puzzle SecretaryApr 7

My DM talks from time to time about the #BootsTheory of Socioeconomic Unfairness, but I see a problem with it personally.

Basically, it describes itself as describing the difference between the poor and the rich, but it strikes me as describing the poor vs. the middle class instead. The actually, properly rich didn't get there by saving money, but by exploitation (of loopholes, people, resources, etc.)

Front Page [Unofficial]Dec 9, 2025

A tale of two pairs of boots shows how the rich get richer in ways poor people simply can't

https://fed.brid.gy/r/https://www.upworthy.com/boots-theory-why-rich-get-richer-ex1

Show threadShouty personAug 23, 2025

Book 21 was Men at Arms by Terry Pratchett.

Plot-wise, this isn’t my favourite Discworld book but it’s got some absolute belters. For example, the Sam Vimes theory of socioeconomic unfairness originates in this book.

Review: https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews/b64d10ef-71d6-4283-8bd8-ee97544eb373

#BootsTheory @bookstodon

SoonLeeNZJul 29, 2025

It's always relevant to post "The Boots Theory". The current complaints about the high price of butter are a symptom of the overall economic pain people are feeling. When you have to toss up buying 1 toilet roll at a time vs a bulk pack (which would be much cheaper), it matters a lot. #BootsTheory

From Terry Pratchett's "Men At Arms"

Dr. Dani SanchezJun 19, 2025
“A Price shoe will last a man a lifetime…”
#RetroView #KinkyBoots #BootsTheory