The reality is that this kind of stupidity is built into accounting systems. It's not even the people with the spreadsheets. They're doing what they've been taught to do. It just happens to be completely wrong-headed - if you're interested in tangible long term growth and not quarterly plunder which moves money around without seeding genuine real value.

Which is why companies can "grow" in accounting terms while actually being hollowed out as going concerns with a future.

Likewise with the planetary economy, which appears to be growing financially while in ecological terms it's almost literally eating its own seed corn.

A better approach needs a revolution in accounting. Current accounting practices are built on so many false assumptions they cannot possibly produce lasting long term opportunity, except for a tiny minority of exceptionally and unhealthily privileged people.