Such a sharp observation! You hit the nail right on the head. Industrialization often forces us into a system where the rules of growth are followed blindly, completely bypassing the core purpose. The means become the goal, and the planet pays the price. The entire game is rigged in that sense.
I love diving into these kinds of philosophical and systemic themes in games. In fact, I'm always looking to team up with outside-the-box thinkers and cultural creators who want to build games that offer these exact kinds of profound insights (and maybe experiment with some cool gameplay systems or shaders to enhance that vibe!).
Definitely going to look into that 1800s history recommendation.
Thanks for the brain food!!!!!!!!