You’re talking about inflation. That’s not perpetual growth. It’s completely different.
Profits that rise to keep pace with inflation are not considered growth.
“Growth for the sake of growth is the ideology of the cancer cell”. It’s also completely unsustainable long term.
So, if I’m making enough money to not get in the way of happiness and my boss said I’m not getting any more raises? Wait, I’ve already been there for several years having hit the top of my pay scale. Why would i care as long as we’re getting our annual COLA to keep pace with inflation?
Businesses do not need to constantly grow to be successful (which, before you get pedantic about the precise wording the person you replied to used, is what they were referring to, not the literal increase in income at any level just to keep pace with inflation)