^John Gaul, author of weighty tomes on Ivy subjects and lover of all things Italian.

Andy B, a prolific contributor to the forum who has got lost down life's highway like the Hank Williams song, also a lover of all things Italian and great fan and friend to John Gaul.

The whole problem is that hardly anybody in modern society is comfortable with or even willing to say openly "Profit is good" because they think it equates with I want to take more of somebody's money for myself. That is the reductive definition of profit that is intuitive, yet inaccurate and damaging because it taints a positive force with the stench of greed. This demagogic point was brought home very effectively by the movie character Gordon Gecko ("Wall Street")- "Greed is Good".

For profit can also mean that If I am creative I can supply you with what you need at less cost to myself and to you.

In a system with sole distributors there is no need to lower the price.
But if there is a competitor that can supply you with the same product,  I have to either persuade you that my product is better for the same price or offer it at a slightly reduced price to secure your purchase from me. Thus we both can gain even in a "sustainable system".

Now you have either a better product at the same price, or more money to use for something else that you have a need for or just want. Thus you can have improving life conditions even without "growth".

In medicine, for example, Cosmetic surgery is not insurable so there is fierce competition. In my market there are even Oral Surgeons doing Breast implants. But the price for facelift in my market has decreased in 20 years from a mid level of $15,000 in early 90's to $11,500 nowadays and today I incorporate a brow lift, use an endoscope, may add some fat grafting, use recombinant fibrin glue, etc, all things that were not done 20 years ago.
In any other branch of surgery, for example taking out a gall bladder, access is more restricted. Think how long it takes to get a referral for a specialist. Technology has advanced, but the price is much higher because prices are supported by insurers and government. So the insurance and government coverage that are supposed to increase supply at an affordable price do the opposite- increase the price and restrict access. The NIH is exhibit one. The US market is exhibit 2 only because it is ironically called a "market system" when in reality it is the most regulated market in the US and about to become government managed to boot.

People think stability and "living wages" are the birthright or goal of a democratic and just government, but that is just a silly pipe dream that has no connection to how things work.