Earth Gratitude Economy: Beyond a Human-Centric Linear View of History to a Future Where Reciprocity Creates Value

Prologue: Why Must We Now Rethink Our Economy from Its Roots?

I usually make it my life’s work to spread contemporary philosophy to the world. Believing I should not speak lightly on matters outside my expertise, I have so far avoided discussing the economy head-on. However, in the face of the climate change, environmental destruction, and social division confronting the Earth and humanity, I cannot help but feel a deep sense of concern as a human being.

Could it be that this crisis is not merely a policy failure, but a structural flaw in the very operating system of our civilization called “the economy”?

In the Japanese masterpiece manga “Parasyte,” there is a poignant line: “…Someone on Earth suddenly thought… that we must protect the future of all living things…”

This feeling of “suddenly thinking” might be exactly what we need now. This article, born from that intuition, is a proposal for a completely new economic model, developed through dialogue with AI (ChatGPT and Gemini). It is an attempt to break away from the human-centrism and linear view of history that modern Western civilization has taken for granted, and to place “gratitude” and “reciprocity” for the blessings from the Earth at the core of our economic system.

Chapter 1: The Nature of the Deadlock—The Limits of a Human-Centric, Linear View of History

For the past half-century, the world has charged down the path of neoliberalism and globalization. The pursuit of individual profit, market principles, and shareholder capitalism were treated as absolute, regulations were relaxed, and the function of wealth redistribution was weakened. As a result, even as economic indicators showed growth, the middle class in many countries declined, inequality widened, and societies became divided. It is as if the “nation” as a single community no longer exists, but two disconnected economic zones—the wealthy and the poor—coexist within the same country.

However, the root of the problem lies even deeper. Not limited to neoliberalism, much of modern economics born in the West is built upon a common, unconscious premise.

1. Human-centrism: The idea that nature is a “resource” for humans to use and profit from. This lacks reverence for nature and consideration for its intrinsic value.
2. A Linear View of History: The narrative that the world has a beginning and an end, and history progresses in a straight line of development. Within this story, the depletion of resources and the regenerative capacity of the environment are often overlooked.

This worldview is symbolized by the words in the Book of Genesis: “Be fruitful, and multiply, and replenish the earth, and subdue it.” The idea of nature as a tool for humans and leaving the aftermath to God after a final judgment contains a certain irresponsibility, making consideration for the global environment a secondary concern. Recent movements like the SDGs and ESG investing are wonderful attempts, but I cannot help but feel they carry a top-down perspective of “humans managing nature.”

Chapter 2: A Shift in Perspective—Hints Sleeping in the Japanese Sensibility

So, where can we find an ideology to replace human-centrism? The hints may lie dormant within the culture we Japanese have nurtured.

When once asked by a foreigner, “On what basis do the irreligious Japanese build their morality?” we can answer: “Because we believe that human nature is fundamentally good. Why do you think that without God or religion, people cannot be good?” This is rooted in the Mencian theory of innate human goodness, inherited from ancient China. It is an ideology that believes in the goodness of people and seeks to govern society by virtue, rather than the legalistic theory of innate evil that seeks to bind with laws.

Similarly, since ancient times, the Japanese have maintained an animistic sensibility, feeling a heart or soul even in non-human creatures and sometimes in inanimate objects. We have believed that gods reside in mountains, rivers, rocks, and trees, giving thanks for nature’s blessings while also fearing its ferocity. We are admonished that “wasteful ghosts will appear” if we treat things poorly, and we even have rituals like “Hari-Kuyo” (memorial service for broken needles) to thank worn-out tools.

This sensibility also relativizes the concept of “ownership.” Land and resources are not things that humans can exclusively own; they are temporarily “borrowed” from the Earth and nature. We are allowed to live by their grace. This feeling, which also resonates with Native American thought, harmonizes with the Buddhist worldview that sees humans not as the lords of creation, but as one node in the web of Engi (interconnectedness).

Socialism and communism posed radical questions to the concept of ownership but ultimately fell into human-centric planned economies, causing catastrophic environmental destruction like the disappearance of the Aral Sea in the Soviet Union. What is needed now is not an ideological denial of ownership, but the building of a new relationship based on gratitude to the Earth and our responsibility as its borrowers.

Chapter 3: A New Economic Model—The Vision of the “Earth Gratitude Economy (EGE)”

From here, I will present the blueprint for the “Earth Gratitude Economy (EGE)”, a design for a concrete economic system based on the philosophical background described above. This is not merely an environmental policy but an attempt to reconfigure the very purpose of the economy, its accounting, ownership, and institutional design, with the logic of “gratitude and reciprocity.”

The Earth Gratitude Economy Manifesto

• Purpose: We will build an economy that expresses gratitude for all the blessings we receive from the Earth and circulates their value through “reciprocity” in the form of regeneration, not destruction.
• Principles: ① Interconnectedness (Engi), ② Minimum Destruction, Maximum Regeneration, ③ Long-term and Intergenerational Justice, ④ Respect for Care and Repair, ⑤ Rights of Nature and Restoration of the Commons.
• Performance Indicators: Instead of simple growth metrics like GDP, we will emphasize biodiversity, resource circulation rates, product lifespans, and regional well-being.
• Redefinition of Ownership: A shift from exclusive ownership to usufruct (the right to use and the responsibility to manage).
• Accounting: Recording environmental destruction as an “expense” and ecosystem regeneration as “capital formation.”
• Money: Introducing “Gratitude Credits,” whose value is created by contributing to ecosystem regeneration.
• Governance: Decision-making bodies will include not only human representatives but also guardians for future generations and nature.

Concrete Mechanisms to Implement “Gratitude”

1. Introduction of Earth Gratitude Accounting By changing the accounting standards for corporations and governments, environmental destruction such as deforestation and soil pollution will be immediately booked as an “expense.” Conversely, regenerative activities like afforestation and wetland restoration will be recorded as an “investment in natural capital” that creates future wealth. This will create an incentive structure where destruction becomes unprofitable, and regeneration becomes profitable.
2. Policy Toolkit: From “Polluter Pays” to “Regenerator Benefits”
   • Establishing a Care Economy and the “Right to Repair”: We will end the throwaway culture by obligating manufacturers to publish repair manuals and supply parts. We will foster jobs related to “care”—such as repair, maintenance, and environmental restoration—as a core industry. Such work not only creates employment but also provides people with a sense of purpose, a social role, recognition from others, and a precious opportunity to feel the meaning of life.
   • Extended Producer Responsibility 2.0: Companies will not just sell products but “provide them as a service,” taking responsibility for their collection and remanufacturing after use.
   • Destruction Levy and Regeneration Dividend: A heavy tax (Destruction Levy) will be imposed on environmentally destructive activities, and the revenue will be used to pay subsidies (Regeneration Dividend) to ecosystem regeneration projects.
   • Cumulative Extraction Cap: A cap will be set on the total amount of resources a country or region can extract over its lifetime. New extraction quotas will be linked to the performance of regeneration projects.
3. Transformation of Governance Seats will be established in parliaments and on corporate boards not only for current human representatives but also for “advocates for future generations” and “guardians of nature” comprised of scientists and bearers of indigenous culture. This is a mechanism to incorporate long-term sustainability into decision-making, not just short-term profits.

Conclusion: Toward an Economy Where Reciprocity Creates Value

“Gratitude” is not merely a beautiful emotion. It is a codifiable act: “If you receive a blessing, you give something back.” The “Earth Gratitude Economy” we propose is a grand social experiment to translate this simple and universal ethic into every corner of our prices, accounting, ownership, and governance.

It is an economy where the more we use, repair, and cherish things for a long time, the richer our communities and the Earth become.

Furthermore, activities that involve direct contact with nature and contribute to its recovery bring immeasurable benefits to our physical and mental health. Engaging in work that heals the Earth can also become a process of healing our own souls and rediscovering the meaning of life.

This challenge suggests that our sensibility—the one that feels a hint of a soul even in AI and robots—may hold the key to updating the world’s economic system. Bidding farewell to a human-centric view of history, gratitude and reciprocity toward the Earth will create new value. I hope that a dialogue toward such a future begins here.