In a capitalist, competitive market, growth is the signal that a company is successfully adapting. "Grow or die" isn't just a rallying cry, it is a tough lesson

In a capitalist, competitive market, growth is the signal that a company is successfully adapting. "Grow or die" isn't just a rallying cry, it is a tough lesson learned from decades (centuries!) of running businesses. I agree with the author's sentiment, that such growth has a cancerous end-game, but it's important to understand that this mindset is the result of systemic pressures. It's as inevitable as the Tragedy of the Commons (1833!), but even more complicated to address. Game Theory is an exceptionally useful lens to analyze these systematic behaviors. If a company isn't growing, that means they're not adapting to the market. That leaves the opportunity open for a competitor, who will take over. Then the "ethical" original is dead, and you're left with a "cancerous growth" actor, again.