What if it wasn’t capitalism destroying the planet, but precisely the lack of it? What if radical ecology was, unknowingly, the greatest ally of overconsumption?

Current environmental discourse is filled with the idea that the ecological crisis is a direct consequence of capitalism. According to this narrative, only a radical rupture—political, economic, and ideological—can avert catastrophe. For these activists, the ecological struggle can only be anti-capitalist and revolutionary.

Yet, this interpretation rests on a major confusion. It conflates three distinct phenomena: capitalism as a resource allocation mechanism, consumerism as a social behavior, and the array of state apparatuses that shape our choices.

The root of the problem does not lie in profit or market exchange. It lies in our relationship with time and the future. A society that saves little and no longer invests for the long term is a society where immediate consumption becomes the only rational choice. When the future is blurred or confiscated by unpredictable political decisions, prioritizing the present becomes logical. This is not a moral failing; it is a rational adjustment to the incentives produced by the state.

To plan one’s life, specific conditions are required: stable rules, a currency that retains its value, and a legal framework that allows for long-term projection without fear of arbitrary change. When these conditions disappear, saving becomes a risky bet. In this context, consuming immediately is no longer a temptation—it is a defensive strategy.

Take a concrete example: the automobile. In a free market, you would choose your vehicle based on durability and actual long-term cost. But today, the state intervenes massively. Through subsidies, “bonus-malus” taxes, and driving bans, it distorts price signals. Citizens are pushed to buy heavy, complex electric vehicles that are often impossible to repair, all while regulations change every two or three years.

The result? The individual no longer chooses the most ecological solution, but the one least penalized by the administration at that specific moment. Obsolescence is no longer technical; it is regulatory. Perfectly functional cars are destroyed to satisfy a central planning committee that constantly changes its mind. It is statism that creates the disposable, not the market.

It is precisely to decode these mechanisms and avoid yielding to short-term panic that I created this channel. If you want to go further, I offer tutorials and analyses on my Patreon to help you protect your freedom against the whims of central planning. It is the best way to support my work and to fund my projects while gaining concrete tools for your own financial independence. My free content will remain free regardless.

Returning to the subject: systems based on central planning profoundly alter our incentives. By attempting to direct production or “correct” prices, the state weakens the signals that allow us to balance the present against the future. Prices no longer reflect true scarcity, and decisions are dictated by bureaucracy rather than real needs.

The recurring effect of this system is the transformation of capitalism into “crony capitalism.” When the state intervenes everywhere, the winners are no longer the most innovative, but those who know how to influence regulations or negotiate protections. Competition is no longer about quality or durability, but about access to political power.

In such an environment, individual initiative is discouraged. Barriers to entry skyrocket, compliance costs weigh down small players, and entrepreneurial risk becomes asymmetrical. Faced with this, many choose salaried employment, not due to a lack of ambition, but because the system protects established positions and penalizes autonomy. This shift generalizes standardized consumption because it reduces our capacity to be economic actors responsible for our own futures.

Conversely, within a framework of real competition, capitalism imposes strict temporal discipline. Economic survival depends on the ability to anticipate, save, and preserve capital. An entrepreneur who sacrifices the long term for immediate gain faces failure. This constraint naturally favors frugality and the prudent management of resources, as they are conditions for longevity.

This discipline is destroyed by interventions that cushion mistakes: subsidies, bailouts, and expansionary monetary policies. When losses are socialized, the incentive for prudence vanishes.

Monetary policy plays a central role here. A degrading currency encourages debt and makes saving feel absurd. People no longer buy what is durable; they buy whatever allows them to spend their money before it loses its value. This heightens environmental impact while degrading our quality of life.

The ecological crisis is not a failure of capitalism, but of a hybrid system shackled by socialist dogmas. “Social and environmental justice” is one of the most insidious incarnations of this drift. Under the guise of saving the planet, a Marxist prism is used to designate capitalism as the enemy to be destroyed.

They pretend to ignore that inflation and “low-cost” consumerism are the fruits of decades of leftist policies. In France, inheritance and legacy are constantly questioned. This is the heart of the matter: savings and individual capital have lost their meaning in favor of frenetic consumption.

Legislative inflation is an implacable fact. In 1970, the legal compendium was 20 pages long. In 2004, it was 2,556 pages. By 2025, it reached nearly 150,000 pages. The state now meddles in everything: what you eat, how you heat your home, your car, your salary, and even the packaging of your products. This planning creates a legal jungle that stifles competition, breeds monopolies, and atrophies individual initiative.

The law, instead of being a check on greed, has become its instrument. The climate crisis does not stem from an excess of capitalism, but from a total lack of classical liberalism. We are suffering under the tidal wave of statist dogma.

There are concrete solutions you can apply in your own life to defend your individual sovereignty and respond to the climate crisis.

The first step is to move away from purely fiat-based savings by investing in alternative stores of value such as gold, precious metals, or cryptocurrencies like Bitcoin. What matters most is adopting a long-term mindset and embracing financial discipline and frugality.

If you choose the Bitcoin path, using self-custody solutions allows you to fully own your assets, removing them from government control and reducing dependence on institutions such as banks or supranational entities that can freeze or restrict access to your funds.

Another option is relocating to a country with a strongly liberal economic framework, such as modern Argentina, which is undergoing deep structural reforms focused on individual freedom and market dynamics.

Finally, you can create your own company to invest your capital productively—allowing it to grow over time while actively preparing for your future.

We explore all of these strategies in detail in my Patreon article. You can also watch my youtube video on this topic.

If this topic resonates with you, join me on Patreon to help fund my projects and get value for your own independence. Don’t forget to leave a comment on the legitimate role of the state, give a thumbs up, and share this video to raise awareness.

In the meantime, stay free!