Well, my hope is that humanity was so destructive out of ignorance. I hope that science and education, or in general the knowledge of how we impact the world and the consequences, lead to wiser choices. This could be for egotistical reasons (a healthy ecosystem leads to easier life for humans), or out of respect for other life forms.
100% behind you regarding the devastating impact of capitalism on society and ecology.
However, the mass extinction began at the end of the Pleistocene with the megafauna. From the Paleolithic to the Middle Ages, humans never behaved sustainably.
Now that we have the scientific method and we are able to predict accurately the consequences of our actions, I want to believe that our spieces is able to change. Currently, capitalism is one of the main force against improvement.
Dang, an alt text from someone whose state is descending into fascism if I even saw one.