zlacker

>>jimbob+(OP)
This, along with innumerable other things like lifting the ban on usurious interest rates, is ultimately a consequence of the same phenomenon Nietzsche describes as “the death of God.”

We have forgotten the deeper reasons that certain things were prohibited or discouraged, assuming that these rules were only there because of a belief in a religion society doesn’t follow anymore. That was a naive view and it turns out that many “old” rules are actually pragmatic social codes disguised as beliefs. This isn’t limited to a particular tradition, either: pretty much every major religion has frowned upon things like gambling.

And so in the absence of any real coherent philosophy that aims to deal with complex problems like gambling, addiction, or excessive interest rates, you’re only going to get an expansion of what is already dominant: markets.

Don’t expect this to change until knowledge of ethics and philosophy becomes widespread enough to establish a new mental model for thinking about these issues.

>>keifer+yW1
What are usurious interest rates? Is some amount of interest ok?

>>hgomer+0X1
It depends (especially with inflation), and yes.

>>CamelC+KX1
So it's ok to have high interest rates with the hope it will cause unemployment in the hope that reduces inflation?

>>hgomer+DY1
Probably yeah, that's not usurious. Usurious is where you are basically using the loan to give you an excuse to repo / sell off the assets or collateral of the debtor.

>>aprilt+fZ1
>using the loan to give you an excuse to repo / sell off the assets or collateral of the debtor.

<cough> buy here pay here car lots <cough>.