Growth for the sake of growth is the idealogy of the cancer cell

Cancer cell under microscope posted by Dahye Kwak on Pinterest.  

"Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell"  is one of Edward Abbey's famous statements. It not only makes me think, it scares the hell out of me, and, I would propose, it should scare you too.  Our super-capitalistic economic system can only survive on growth. Constant growth.  Uninhibited growth.  Cancerous growth.  Growth for the sake of growth. 

We have been indoctrinated for decades, by the owners of the big corporations that survive because we constant over-consume, that we must always have the newest, we must always buy and not repair, and that if we do not continue to consume stuff at an ever increasing rate the world economy will collapse and the world, as we know it, will end.  Actually, the only true part of that statement, of that super-C dogma, is that, if we would not consume as they want the world, as we know it, would come to an end.  But have you thought about the possibility that ending the world as we know it might not only be the best thing for us, but be quite pleasant. 

Granted, it would not be an easy transition, but it sure would be easier and better than dying of the cancer-mentality of super-C.   Over consumption, which means the destruction of nature and natural resources, will ultimately kill us if we would happen to survive the natural disaster which is being brought about by the production of the consumables.  Cancer is like a parasite.  Actually one scientist,  Dr. Peter Duesberg, a molecular and cell biologist at University of California at Berkeley, does call cancer a parasite.  He wrote "Just as parasites do, cancer depends on its host for sustenance, which is why treatments that choke off tumors can be so effective. Thanks to this parasite-host relationship, cancer can grow however it wants, wherever it wants."  (i)   A parasite lives off its host until it kills the host. Then both the host and the parasite die. Our over consumption - growth for the sake of growth - will continue to consume the world around us until we kill it.  When we kill it, we will die. 

Pamela and I, along we countless thousands (maybe millions) of others, live a purposeful, minimalist life-style.  We live simply.  Our twenty-foot camper trailer home runs on solar energy.  We do use propane for cooking and heating, but we consume only seven pounds of propane every two to four weeks.  Our conservationist habits conserve on water.  We can live comfortably for two weeks on less than 40 gallons of water.  We do use a gasoline truck to pull our trailer, but I'm watching the development of the long-haul electric truck which can already be purchased at around $150,000. That's about the same price as its diesel counterpart.  If I could afford $150,000, we'd have an electric truck.  Of course, we'd have to worry about how the electricity for the truck was generated. I don't know if we could provide the charge with our current solar system. We don't eat out and we use no processed foods. Our wardrobe is simple and I can't remember the last time we were in a mall. Our days are spent in nature.  Our entertainment is watching the birds and wildlife or taking a walk. Most modern super-C people would find our life-style intolerable, but it is actually quite pleasant and stress-free.  In truth, it is also much healthier than others.  When I must be in a town I see people who look and act much older than me.  I am amazed when I find they are several years my junior. At Glacier I average walking five miles and biking up to twenty miles each day and a five to ten mile hike for fun is not uncommon.  I climb mountains from time to time, saunter through the desert and find being out in the wilderness the greatest place in the world.  I'm seventy-two years old. 

Growth, in and of itself, is not bad.  We like to see our children grow up strong and healthy.  We like to see someone grow emotionally, spiritually or in the skills of their trade or vocation. We want to grow spiritually and in knowledge. We enjoy growing relationships and see our skills grow. Growth can be good. But growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell and the hallmark of our super-C life-style.  It is killing us.  If we don't change our behavior, we are dead. 

FOOTNOTES:

(i)  www.popsci.com