The real problem is that our concept of Infinite growth fails to describe the growth of use value. We only measure the growth of exchange value.

Strictly speaking, both are possible. But only one is good.

You could do the SMBC web comic joke about two computers that just trade bits of data as a form of economic activity and achieve growth capped only by the maximum processor speed of the transactions. Viola! Infinite growth! But its all exchange growth, no utility.

You could also describe the Cambrian Explosion as an "Infinite Growth" strategy. Rapid proliferation of species, new ecological niches that are filled by species specifically focused on occupying those niches, revolutionary new means of biologically observing and processing information, etc etc etc. Now we've got enormous utilitarian growth, but there's no real exchange process (unless you consider organisms eating one another a market mechanic).

From a biological perspective, the real upper limit on growth is efficient use of solar energy to process planetary materials. And we're still nowhere near that limit. Plants and planktons and insects and crustaceans have been lapping us on that front even into the modern industrial age.

Our model of economic growth just fixates on the exchange side so heavily that we end up with the Two-Computers-On-An-Island-Trading-Bits proxy for economic success. We've abandoned our conceptualization of utility growth in our quest to fully financialize. We don't recognize volunteer labor as a form of economic growth. We don't recognize procreation as a form of economic growth or mortality as a form of de-growth. We don't recognize ecological destruction as a form of economic de-growth or extinction as a massive loss in economic value.

Until we adjust our measures, the infinite growth we're aiming for is purely a growth in accounting statistics. We're sacrificing real prosperity for a financial fairy tale.

CF?

If we got off this rock infinite growth wouldn't be so bad. We'd have space to grow as a species. Until then infinite growth is more harmful than good.

“I'd like to share a revelation that I've had during my time here. It came to me when I tried to classify your species, and I realized that you're not actually mammals.

Every mammal on this planet instictively develops a natural equilibrium with the surrounding environment, but you humans do not. You move to an area and you multiply and multiply until every natural resource is consumed. The only way you can survive is to spread to another area.

There is another organism on this planet that follows the same pattern. Do you know what it is?

A virus.

Human beings are a disease, a cancer of this planet. You're a plague.

And we… are the cure.”

Except Matt Foley. He's a truly inspirational man.

Not shocked at all. I just think it's funny that they have to hire someone to cancel out the brainwashing they've done and teach us how to be happy again.

For me, it's more that our species of primate's general wellbeing and health was hijacked by a cancer-like abstract concept.

I know someone who can fix all of their stuff, and they can't understand that book.

No, it was how to relax and live in the moment and find joy.

I spent most of it typing out a tutorial for how to eat a taco without getting shit all over yourself. It's in my comment history if you're interested.

Finish him!

finlindians instead of Finnish, I was very confuse.

Suburban trash for ya