Capitalism promises us paradise, but are we living in hell? At this stage of technological development, what kind of progress are we talking about today? Can economic progress be at odds with human progress? Why does the modern economy find its success in maximizing the deadly sins?
Pride, greed, envy, wrath, lust, gluttony, and sloth. These are the seven deadly sins known to all. Their number was not chosen at random: the number seven, a sign of the creation of the world, symbolizes self-understanding… These sins are present in every human being. They reflect an imbalance because they share a fundamental trait: excess. The modern economy functions in the same way. Through the commodification of all things, it constantly renews our needs in an endless cycle.
The goods and services it creates in unlimited quantities thus produce both the best and the worst inventions. We find everything from organic agricultural products to ultra-processed foods, from renewable energy to carbon-based energy, from humanitarian organizations to industrial lobbies…
But these days, it is indeed the worst inventions that are most highly valued. In a way, they are the ones that “succeed” the most, according to the contemporary view of success, which is essentially financial.
The modern economy, therefore, does not merely exploit labor and nature. By turning human inclinations into business opportunities, it also exploits our psychological weaknesses. Upon closer inspection, it finds its success in maximizing the deadly sins, to the point where the largest corporations symbolize each one of them.
These deadly sins are human behaviors taken to the extreme. But if we are so weak as to indulge in them, it is because we are, mistakenly, guided more by our desires and distanced from our true purpose. The modern economy thrives on this: by constantly creating new needs, it ceaselessly appeals to our desires. This paradox, in fact, illustrates the deep sense of unease that prevails among so many today: the human being’s desire for the infinite is never truly satisfied because it is filled with material goods. Yet when these goods are lacking, they create a void that is just as persistent. Thus, we have never produced so many goods and services, and yet levels of anxiety, loneliness, addiction, and depression have never been higher.
A transition is more necessary than ever. We must move from the economy of the seven deadly sins to the economy of the seven cardinal virtues. But for such an economy to emerge, all sectors must align themselves with this new vision. Admittedly, we are gradually seeing this change take shape. The need to adopt a more balanced model is self-evident, for the proliferation of crises is, above all, a moment when order must prevail. Large corporations are thus gradually realizing that their long-term survival depends on a commitment to the common good – that profit maximization cannot be an end in itself, or else their existence would be jeopardized.
However, for now, this transformation remains superficial and is often exploited. It will only be positive if it leads to lasting change. For that to happen, everyone must understand that this initiative is in their own best interest. There is still a long way to go.