If you’re not growing, you’re dying. This is the corporate assumption that underlies the capitalist economy of our times: The health of a business requires that revenue and profit increase every year.

In other contexts, it is seen as most reasonable to achieve equilibrium and “sustainability.” That’s certainly what so much of environmentalism is supposed to be about. A healthy planet is where people only consume what they need and do so in a way that is sustainable long term and doesn’t take away from the needs of others.

This is not possible if you believe that lack of growth means death. The notion that continuous growth is possible itself assumes infinite resources. For example, at some point, every person in the world could have an Apple iPhone. After that, there is no more conceivable growth, right? Wrong! Every person on the planet could also own a Macbook. And after that, they could all own iPads. And after that, maybe Apple can expand into other verticals, like the clothing industry, etc. In other words, as long as a brand is not dominating every aspect of every person’s consumption, there is always room for growth. Until the brand consumes the consumer, there is room for improvement. Like a virus.

The Prophet صلى الله عليه وسلم aptly describes this: “If the son of Adam were to own a valley full of gold, he would desire to have two. Nothing can fill his mouth except the earth [of the grave]. Allah turns with mercy to him who turns to Him in repentance.”47