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The Challenge of Endless Economic Growth
Nine years ago, I challenged myself to live for a year without the use of money. At the time, we were just coming out of a recession, and lack of money was a challenge for many people. Today, the challenges have expanded.
One of the greatest challenges is our incessant need to feed the voracious appetites of those who seek private luxury and endless economic growth. Having elevated self interest as one of our highest virtues based on the writings of Adam Smith, and releasing corporations from all responsibility other than increasing profits based on the words of Milton Friedman, we now find ourselves obligated to sacrifice everything in order to increase the wealth of a few.
Within this bubble of self-interested profit-making, we only see the reality we manufacture. Unfortunately, this leaves many of us unaware of how many of our natural resources are sacrificed in order to keep up the ruse. When we do get some insight as to the consequences of our folly, we are so overwhelmed by the destruction that has been left in the wake of our course of action that we are left stupefied and helpless to do anything about it.
Although some in the United States, where 5% of the planet’s human population consumes 60% of the resources, are recognizing that our supposedly chosen way of life is not sustainable and will force future…
