Fifteenth International Conference on Environmental, Cultural, Economic & Social Sustainability

Abstract

This is an op-ed that calls universities around the world to stop focusing the education of college economics majors on the capitalist dogma and give them the tools to create alternatives to our current destructive linear economy of capitalism. The first theme relates how religion is taught and how capitalism is taught in college economics classrooms; as an undoubted faith in something unknown without much opportunity for questioning such systems and the chance to imagine alternative theories. The second theme explains that unlike traditional religions that teach their pupils the inherent value of the Earth and the need to protect it, economics majors are being taught that the environment is merely a part of the economy, which views Earth as a limitless storehouse for humans to plunder for profit. With a finite Earth, this destructive dogma cannot be perpetuated. It is important that students learn this considering many economics majors go onto to hold occupations of leadership in our societies. The third theme is that education is the key to constructing our future. We are the products of what is passed down to us. Just like how religious beliefs shape the way its pupils go forth into the environment so too does the dogma that our world’s economic professors teach their students. For the sake of our world, professors must allow students to question capitalisms role in our world and give them the chance to explore alternative ideologies- ones that are not destructive to the future of our finite planet.