The crisis is due to incorrigibility

. . . “incorrigibleness” ???

Incorrigible-afflicted?

Incorrigible-doomed.

This was revealed slowly for a long time but has become revealed dramatically as the industrial and then “informational” revolutions have advanced.

Fossil-fuel energy made the machines go fast. Electronic energy moves at the speed of light.

Now, so much more can be accomplished. So much more can be imagined, aspired to.

And they can’t help aspiring. They are incorrigible.

Once “more” is enabled, they can’t resist aspiring.

Consider, as a close-to-home example: After electrification each household had wall outlets for plugging in electric appliances and devices. At first there was an outlet with two sockets in each room. Proliferation of devices meant that by 1970 code required four or six sockets per room. Now the sockets are filled with extenders and power strips. A strip enables six devices to be plugged in. In my household, these days (with three kids being home-schooled at the moment) just about all the sockets are filled.

I worked in IT support circa 1980 to 2010. What I saw in terms of proliferation of devices, servers, wiring, programs, attention to tech, expansion of IT budgets and staffing was breathtaking. It accelerated at the speed of light. It became overwhelming and I couldn’t wait to retire from it.

It’s because they are incorrigible regarding “more.” Enable them and they will proliferate.

To the point of overshoot and crisis.