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" In every remote corner of the world there are people like Carl Jones and Don Merton who have devoted their lives to saving threatened species. Very often, their determination is all that stands between an endangered species and extinction.
But why do they bother? Does it really matter if the Yangtze river dolphin, or the kakapo, or the northern white rhino, or any other species live on only in scientists' notebooks?
Well, yes, it does. Every animal and plant is an integral part of its environment: even Komodo dragons have a major role to play in maintaining the ecological stability of their delicate island homes. If they disappear, so could many other species. And conservation is very much in tune with our survival. Animals and plants provide us with life-saving drugs and food, they pollinate crops and provide important ingredients or many industrial processes. Ironically, it is often not the big and beautiful creatures, but the ugly and less dramatic ones, that we need most.
Even so, the loss of a few species may seem irrelevant compared to major environmental problems such as global warming or the destruction of the ozone layer. But while nature has considerable resilience, there is a limit to how far that resilience can be stretched. No one knows how close to the limit we are getting. The darker it gets, the faster we're driving.
There is one last reason for caring, and I believe that no other is necessary. It is certainly the reason why so many people have devoted their lives to protecting the likes of rhinos, parakeets, kakapos, and dolphins. And it is simply this: the world would be a poorer, darker, lonelier place without them. "
― Douglas Adams , Last Chance to See
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" This, then, is held to be the duty of the man of wealth: To set an example of modest, unostentatious living, shunning display or extravagance; to provide moderately for the legitimate wants of those dependent on him; and, after doing so, to consider all surplus revenues which come to him simply as trust funds, which he is called upon to administer, and strictly bound as a matter of duty to administer in the manner which, in his judgement, is best calculated to produce the most beneficial results for the community--the man of wealth thus becoming the mere trustee and agent for his poorer brethren, bringing to their service his superior wisdom, experience, and ability to administer, doing for them better than they would or could do for themselves. "
― Andrew Carnegie
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" Happiness fades by design, precisely because it’s a means to an end, not an end in itself. We continually need to meet our psychological, emotional, and physical needs to remain healthy. If one meal were enough to provide lasting happiness, we would slowly starve to death afterward … Consequently, there’s a limit to our happiness, which is defined by the amount required to satisfy a biological need. Exceed this amount, and the result isn’t more happiness but the discomfort and disease that follow from overindulgence. While some may be good, more isn’t necessarily better, and too much of a good thing can be a bad thing. "
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" The Prophecy:" The Chosen one possesses a giftThat Lucempest needs in order to make a shift.To provide pure sacred lifeAs a concession for his land's strife.If the human soloth seizes wrathThis will be the altercation restraining Lucempest fromlaunching on his wicked path.If the Chosen One learns the way,He will prevent his land from having a great debt to pay.When Ira (wrath) vanishes from Lucempest's landHealing will ensue as a component of the great plan.If Lucempest prevails in acquiring his blood as a giftIt will be the beginning of a vast rift.He will offer the Chosen One's blood to the treeWhich will allow him control, and no land to be free.If The Chosen One prevailsThe tree will offer wisdom, and Lucempest will fail.There are sextet other saligias to remove.Avarita (greed), Acedia (sloth), Superbia (pride), Luxuria (lust), Invidia (envy), and Gula (gluttony) in order to improve.These septet saligias must be replaced with septet giftsSapientia (wisdom), Intellectus (understanding), Consilio (council), Fortitudo (fortitude), Scientia (knowledge), Pietas (piety), and Timor Domini (wonder and awe), in order to create vital shifts. "