All the snappy quips which capture some dimension of the folly of humans becoming dung beetles (forever rolling-up More Stuff until the day of the funeral) - have been uttered, and by so many brilliant observers - I see that the (n + 1)th version isn't apt to be useful, either.

I offer nuance and you immediately construct odious 'opposites' such as, implying a Luddite's view of 'techno' (even most fools discern that techno has become indispensable, even settling for bare-survival level.) No point in rebutting your characterizations above; you want digital Right/Wrongs. You have lots of company - most people on the planet believe you can learn how to live a life - by following this or that manual, Exactly, no brain required. Those manuals are about me-me-me and not about planetary housekeeping. And: it shows.

I can't conceive how the rubric of Unlimited Growth can be satisfied - planetwide, or even if just reserved for us Hegemons. I'm looking at the planet from a physics perspective, while noticing our ingrained habits of Conspicuous Waste (as one large slice of Social Status: the more you can 'afford' to generate, the more Brownie points. What Else is a fleet of Hummers good for?)

That conceit is of course, anathema to any closed energy-system extant. That's where we differ in any probabilities re. species survival. I see Denial; you see Limitless Opportunity. 'Exponential' - a math concept with a certain ring to it, no?

Besides.. to change such habits would be like taking your kid's Teddy bear away - probably need one of those Epiphany things first, especially for the changes in consciousness to occur soon enough, before irreversible physics laws manifest so starkly that ... even a CIEIO would actually Notice Stuff. Like NY harbor on Wall St.?

(I suspect that your model will prevail, right on through any remaining breathing room - a topic of considerable uncertainty, in any case.) Pretty safe bet IMO - that we will avoid facing anything that portends a slowed daily-comfort rate-of-increase. The popular view will be more fun, initially. And yes, I know: we just don't Do "long term".

If stupidity Must be always with us, and also prevail? - cool. Makes for a shorter epitaph, if a rather nasty one.