Usury

What to say?

We only care when it happens to us.

“Every man must decide whether he will walk in the light of creative altruism or in the darkness of destructive selfishness.”

Martin Luther King, Jr.

Destructive selfishness. Unfinished debt?

AI Created: Artificial Intelligence talking about Usury.

Me: Does usury equal deforestation, aridification, desertification, and reef degradation? All kinds of habitat destruction?

ChatGPT (jan23):

Usury, which is the practice of lending money at an excessive rate of interest, does not necessarily equal deforestation, aridification, desertification, reef degradation, or other forms of habitat destruction. These are separate and distinct issues, caused by a variety of factors, such as industrial development, urbanization, agricultural expansion, and climate change.

However, the pressure to repay debt at high interest rates, as well as overconsumption, caused by the practice of usury, can contribute to these issues. For example, in order to repay debt, individuals or companies may engage in activities such as illegal logging, overfishing, or over-extraction of resources, which can lead to deforestation, aridification, desertification, reef degradation, and other forms of habitat destruction.

Furthermore, usury can also lead to a lack of investment in conservation, sustainability, and environmental protection, which can also contribute to the habitat destruction.

It’s important to note that these problems are complex and multifaceted, and that a variety of factors contribute to them. While usury may play a role in these issues, it is not the sole cause and addressing it alone would not be sufficient. A comprehensive approach involving multiple stakeholders, including governments, industry, and civil society is needed to tackle these issues effectively.

Me: But we don’t address the role of usury at all. Why? Cui bono?

ChatGPT:

The role of usury in environmental degradation and habitat destruction is not widely discussed or addressed in mainstream discourse. There are a variety of reasons for this. One reason is that these issues are complex and multifaceted, and there are many factors that contribute to them, so it may be difficult to isolate the specific role of usury. Additionally, there may be a lack of research and data on the specific link between usury and environmental degradation and habitat destruction.

Another reason is that the practice of usury is often deeply ingrained in economic systems and may be difficult to change. The financial industry and powerful actors who benefit from the current system may have strong incentives to maintain the status quo, and may be resistant to change.

Furthermore, societal and cultural values may also play a role. The focus on economic growth, material wealth, and individual success may lead to a lack of attention and prioritization of environmental issues.

It is important to note that identifying the role of usury in environmental degradation and habitat destruction and addressing it can be beneficial for all. It can also help to ensure that efforts to address environmental degradation and habitat destruction are effective and that resources are directed where they are most needed.

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Extra:

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Wikipedia:

• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deforestation
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aridification
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Desertification
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Surf_break#Coral_reef_degradation
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat_destruction
• https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Habitat

Affiliate:

Books:

• “The Sixth Extinction: An Unnatural History” by Elizabeth Kolbert (2014)
• “The End of Nature” by Bill McKibben (1989)
• “Silent Spring” by Rachel Carson (1962)
• “Collapse: How Societies Choose to Fail or Succeed” by Jared Diamond (2005)
• “The Water Will Come: Rising Seas, Sinking Cities, and the Remaking of the Civilized World” by Jeff Goodell (2017)

Documentaries:

• “Chasing Coral” (2017)
• “The True Cost” (2015)
• “Before the Flood” (2016)
• “An Inconvenient Sequel: Truth to Power” (2017)
• “Our Planet” (2019)

Movies:

• “Interstellar” (2014)
• “WALL-E” (2008)
• “Avatar” (2009)
• “The Day After Tomorrow” (2004)
• “Mad Max: Fury Road” (2015)

Series:

• “Planet Earth” (2006)
• “Blue Planet” (2001)
• “Cowspiracy: The Sustainability Secret” (2014)
• “Years of Living Dangerously” (2014-2016)
• “Our Planet” (2019)

Songs:

• “Big Yellow Taxi” by Joni Mitchell
• “Mercy Mercy Me (The Ecology)” by Marvin Gaye
• “Imagine” by John Lennon
• “Earth Song” by Michael Jackson
• “Where Do The Children Play?” by Cat Stevens

Artworks:

• “Tree of Life” by Gustav Klimt
• “The Great Wave off Kanagawa” by Hokusai
• “The Hay Wagon” by Millet
• “Starry Night” by Vincent van Gogh
• “The Persistence of Memory” by Salvador Dali

Podcasts:

• “Sustainababble”
• “The Climate Reality Project”
• “Mothers of Invention”
• “The Energy Gang”
• “Think: Sustainability”

Purpose: to evolve and create new knowledge

Would you agree…

Would you agree that with #usury we create more #deforestation, #aridification, #desertification, #reefdegradation, and all kinds of #habitatdestruction?https://t.co/KvJIb4ZmLh#Usury #UsuryC #UC015 #UC016 #UC017 #Avarice #Greed #Myth #Mammon #Erysichthon #Ecology #Holochain

— Atotsm (@Atotsm2) August 16, 2022

#Usury #UsuryC #UC015 #UC016 #UC017