Samuel Arabia

My project is an analysis of growth as an exciting and powerful force but how, according to natural laws, it is inextricably linked with death and decay. American growth-oriented policies (economic and physical) have long been predicated on the exploitation of resources and the hubris of man. The component of natural life these ideologies always choose to neglect is death—it’s the mortal antithesis to the seemingly untouchable glory of material accumulation. We learn at a young age that things don’t live forever, but as we grow we’re inundated with ideas of immortality and infinite growth throughout material culture. We forget the greater rhythm of life we’re a part of. By removing the element of decay from our conversations, specifically in business contexts, we deny (or are denied) the lessons of death from permeating our daily lives, and our habits of decision making. From the dawn of Christian theology to the colonization of the U.S. to westward expansion, men have been acting on dangerous assumptions of infinite growth. Yet, despite the loudness of this ideology there are alternative priorities that embrace both sides of the coin, the necessity of both growth and decay to sustain. See more on my capstone website: growthxdecay.cargo.site.