> advertising where we convince people to buy things they don't really need is a far worse form of heat loss.

The core business of advertising is making people chronically dissatisfied with their life. Not only does it cause economic waste, but it brings people down. Ad blocking (online and IRL) is not only a matter of privacy, it is a matter of sanity.

On your original point, please sing along gaily...

    Grow theee...
    Grow theee...
    Grow the economy

    Exponentially
    we rise and we rise
    and we tear up the skies
    we...

    Grow theee...
    Grow theee...
    Grow the economy

    Like a kick-ass cancer
    Hyperinvasive
    And when everything's ruined
    What will we do?
    What will we do?
    Cancer thank you!

    Grow theee...
    Grow theee...
    Grow the economy

    Just like rabbits in Australia
    Grow the economy
    Wildfires in California
    Grow the economy
    Nagasaki, Hiroshima
    Grow the economy

    The earth is like an apple pie...
    Let's eat it and let's die!

    Do you want some more? It's delicious :-)