growthmania

Etymology

From growth + -mania.

growthmania means The economic idea, currently ubiquitous in the global economy, that perpetual economic growth should be the prime or only objective. Lexicurio rates it Sui generis — a strength score of 85 out of 100.

Why this word is great

GROWTHMANIA — [Noun] The obsessive pursuit of perpetual economic growth as the paramount societal or political objective. Its etymology is bluntly diagnostic: from growth (from Old English grōwan, "to grow, increase") + -mania (from Greek mania, "madness, frenzy"). Unlike steady-state economics, which seeks equilibrium within ecological bounds, or development, which implies qualitative betterment in human welfare, growthmania is a quantitative compulsion. It is the concrete poured over the meadow, the quarterly report that must forever show an upward line, and the frantic churn of fashion for landfill—a collective hypnosis mistaking the expansion of means for the attainment of ends.

noun

The economic idea, currently ubiquitous in the global economy, that perpetual economic growth should be the prime or only objective.“Growthmania is the fatal disease of civilisation - it must be replaced by campaigns that make equity and well-being society’s goals - not consuming more junk.”