Natural resources are limited; we only have this one Earth, and there is no other, nor can we change it.
Human production is also limited; machines in factories can only run 24 hours a day and produce so much—it's impossible to increase indefinitely.
The amount of grain produced from an acre of land is also finite, but human desires are infinite.
If people compete for limited resources with infinite desires, it will lead to conflict; conflict leads to chaos, and chaos leads to poverty...
Hobbes spoke of a principle, which is also what sages do not wish to see.
We cannot change the fact that natural resources are limited, nor can we infinitely change human production.
We can only use propriety to restrain desires.
Confucianism advocates for moderation and love for others, emphasizing frugality and avoiding waste.
Xunzi proposed that to cultivate desires is to adjust them within reasonable limits to satisfy basic needs for life.
Taoism advocates for reducing desires by eliminating excess.
Chinese philosophy does not support indulgence; the core principle is moderation.
An industrial civilization driven by desire and sustained by extravagant consumption may be prosperous, but it is only temporary. Now, looking back, all the problems have emerged—resources are exhausted, and people's hearts are empty.
Ultimately, limited resources cannot support unlimited desires; fighting over them leads to no good for anyone in the end.
True happiness is not that complicated—having enough to eat and use, feeling secure, and getting along well with others is better than anything else. $BNB
