In natural systems, populations may well overshoot, collapse and rebound. The danger humans pose is that the degree and intensity of human impacts can lead to systemic damage that erodes a natural system's ability to regenerate, i.e an aquifer is polluted by fracking, the climate tips into self accelerating feedback loops. We continue to act as if marginal efficiencies in in a fundamentally exploitive system will save us. In fact scaling marginal improvements to a systems that is fundamentally destructive is still scaling destruction. We reflexively turn to "high technology" and industrial scale as solutions. We also tend to favor solutions that provide financial return to only a few while exporting costs to the commons. We must choose differently. Nature's default position is interconnection, diversity and resilient abundance. Nature scales interconnected and mutually supporting systems and grows stronger and more vibrant, generating more common pool resources without producing an ounce of waste. Indigenous cultures lived successfully for millenia within this system. We must ask what it would look like to live within our means. What can systems analysis can teach us about creating generative, healthy, and equitable life for humans and all creatures. We must envision fundamental change in our culture, and socio-economic system. I would posit that we could release our notions of scale, finance and technology, and ground our systems in community and nature to "de-grow" while delivering qualitative improvements to planet and people.