Growth for the sake of growth is how cancer kills you.

Evolution is a good analogy, since you are making the same mistake regarding both evolution and optimization/growth.

These things don't have an inherent direction, they are aimed in a direction. The point being made here is about the direction they are being aimed, not stopping them.

I don't think anyone's advocating that, they're advocating sustainability (not static-ness(?) I'm sure there's a much better word here) over endless growth, there's a pretty distinct difference.