The medieval church forbade usury and claimed that usurers went to hell. However, as the feudal system of the Middle Ages declined and merchants emerged as an emerging power, usury businesses amassed enormous wealth. Usurers donated their corrupt wealth to monasteries, and when they died, they could be buried there. It was a bonus that the donor usurer could receive the sacrament of confession shortly before death. Fear of the afterlife caused poor churches to accumulate wealth, used to decorate walls or build larger, more elaborate structures, leading to the Renaissance era. The unjust usury business sparked a literary and artistic revival. Let go of the illusion that only good things can change the world for the better or the right. The innocence of ignorance about how the world works makes it easier to accept sin and corrupts the world into evil. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”
For leadership to be good, one must always grow up with self-objectivity and self-verification. It refers to admitting when something is wrong immediately and changing direction and attitude. However, this meta-recognition property presents a significant obstacle to leadership. People tend to follow a leader who sides with them rather than one who possesses exemplary character and ability. The more reasonable the leaders are, the easier it is to overlook this phenomenon, and the more likely they are to make enemies in the process of making sensible and correct decisions. This raises the question: do you need to be a good leader? Not necessarily. The basic rule is not to use an inflexible yardstick. - Joseph’s “just my thoughts”