In a world where resource-use economics is ignored, the source of the problem is the globally debated consumer capitalism that has clogged the global system. This system's existence depends on the continued growth of consumption. Because more consumption means more production, which in turn means more resource use and disrupts the balance of nature. Postmodern people, who believe happiness lies in consuming more, are driven to earn more. Consequently, those creating the problem insincerely attempt to mask the issue with concepts like carbon footprint, water footprint, and so on. Isn't the very cause of excessive waste simply the fact that people buy more than they can consume?
While companies seeking maximum profit at all costs seek to employ workers at lower prices, low-income workers are unable to consume sufficiently. In other words, while the path to greater consumption requires increased purchasing power, the system's low-wage policies hinder this. Thus, the paradox of capitalism grows, and social unrest manifests itself. We see this more clearly in the agriculture and food sector. Family businesses are gradually declining, and industrial agriculture is becoming dominant in the sector. Monoculture farming is replacing biodiversity. It's considered the most rational approach to cultivate whatever crop is most profitable every year, exploiting the land, over-cultivating it, and using chemicals intensively to impoverish and desiccate it. However, when determining cropping patterns, technical, biological, and social factors should be considered in addition to economic factors.
In large enterprises, you'll see crop patterns comprised of a few industrial agricultural products. Family businesses and polycultures mean protecting biodiversity, creating agricultural employment, and ultimately, sustainability. This doesn't mean, of course, that agricultural production should be abandoned for industrial purposes. The key is to establish a healthy balance. The problem lies in the capitalist system's focus solely on current profitability, its disregard for sustainability, and its construction of individuals and societies that are consumed by consumption and never satisfied.
Reports from many international organizations indicate a calorie surplus when considering daily human energy needs. According to the FAO's 2023 Statistical Yearbook, the average global per capita calorie supply in 2021 was 2,978 calories. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), the average daily calorie requirement for an adult is between 2500-2700 for men and 2000-2200 for women. Using an average of 2350 calories as a basis, we can say there is a 628-calorie excess supply. Consequently, there is a 26.7% surplus of calories globally. The 7.2-fold increase in the world population and 127-fold increase in the global economy over the last 200 years means that per capita consumption has exploded, with a 17.6-fold increase (Our World in Data-Population Growth, 2023; Maddison Project Database, 2023). Unfortunately, the real problem here is the unfair distribution and overexploitation of resources. Globally, there are 896 million obese people (WHO) compared to 891 million undernourished people (Worldometer). Considering the high cost of obesity (loss of food, healthcare, and labor), it seems that a population far exceeding the current number of hungry people could be the solution to the nutritional problem.
All these results demonstrate that excessive production and consumption do not increase the well-being of societies; on the contrary, they lead to their destruction. There are now far too many people in underdeveloped regions who are both malnourished (with cheap calories) and obese. Dostoyevsky said, "There are two ways to be happy: either reduce your desires or push your means." Since means are limited, the collapse of the current global system, which constantly fuels consumer desires, is inevitable, right? What do you think?
