I have to wonder how the calculus on this breaks down, because American society continuously tempts mass death and social collapse on a minute by minute basis. Just so the level of convenience remains constant. Readily available consumer goods, drive-thrus, and sports on TV. Those are seen as the markets of a well functioning society and nothing else matters. We'd rather all die than live with even a moment of mandated responsibility. The bourgeoisie would rather work every single person to death than build a stable society. Our imagination has been drained from us to the point we can only imagine two situations, either "normal" or dead.

the need to consume even up to the point that we are ourselves consumed remains non-negotiable.

Pretty succinctly put.