> There is no "altar" of degrowth in Europe.

Are you sure? It's about the only place in the world where the philosophy of degrowth ever managed to get a toehold (Amsterdam, Grenoble, Copenhagen, Barcelona and some other bits of Spain).

> it's interesting that Americans take such an "I told you so" attitude towards disasters they had such a disproportionate hand in creating.

I think you're attributing smugness and "I told you so" attitudes to text that lacks it, just like I'm attributing a posh British lord's accent to your text. Good day to you sir!