Ronald Raadsen
@ronaldraadsen.bsky.social
Philosophy, theology, business ethics across traditions. Questions that don't have quarterly reports. Publisher: Terra Philosophica. MBA + Great Books. 📖 terraphilosophica.substack.com
Every society has a word for restraint. Every age forgets it in its own way.
Ours might be the first that forgets it proudly.
Full essay: terraphilosophica.substack.com/p/the-1-tril...
Ours might be the first that forgets it proudly.
Full essay: terraphilosophica.substack.com/p/the-1-tril...
The $1 Trillion Pay Package: When "Enough" Ceases to Exist
Aristotle warned us about pleonexia—unlimited desire that corrupts political communities. Tesla's shareholder vote proves he was right.
terraphilosophica.substack.com
November 11, 2025 at 5:17 PM
Every society has a word for restraint. Every age forgets it in its own way.
Ours might be the first that forgets it proudly.
Full essay: terraphilosophica.substack.com/p/the-1-tril...
Ours might be the first that forgets it proudly.
Full essay: terraphilosophica.substack.com/p/the-1-tril...
EROSION OF TRUST: Aristotle identified the pattern:
- Citizens see corruption
- Legal systems fail
- Faith in institutions erodes
- Legitimacy questioned
- Regime becomes vulnerable
The $1T package accelerates this.
- Citizens see corruption
- Legal systems fail
- Faith in institutions erodes
- Legitimacy questioned
- Regime becomes vulnerable
The $1T package accelerates this.
November 11, 2025 at 5:17 PM
EROSION OF TRUST: Aristotle identified the pattern:
- Citizens see corruption
- Legal systems fail
- Faith in institutions erodes
- Legitimacy questioned
- Regime becomes vulnerable
The $1T package accelerates this.
- Citizens see corruption
- Legal systems fail
- Faith in institutions erodes
- Legitimacy questioned
- Regime becomes vulnerable
The $1T package accelerates this.
STAKEHOLDER THEORY: 75% of shareholders approved this. But shareholders are just ONE stakeholder group.
Workers, suppliers, communities, customers—all created value. All were excluded. "Approval" isn't legitimacy. It's capture.
Workers, suppliers, communities, customers—all created value. All were excluded. "Approval" isn't legitimacy. It's capture.
November 11, 2025 at 5:16 PM
STAKEHOLDER THEORY: 75% of shareholders approved this. But shareholders are just ONE stakeholder group.
Workers, suppliers, communities, customers—all created value. All were excluded. "Approval" isn't legitimacy. It's capture.
Workers, suppliers, communities, customers—all created value. All were excluded. "Approval" isn't legitimacy. It's capture.
JUSTICE: When compensation reaches $275M/day, it transcends any measure of individual contribution.
The ratio between Musk's package and the engineers, workers, and publicly-funded researchers who enabled it—can't be justified.
The ratio between Musk's package and the engineers, workers, and publicly-funded researchers who enabled it—can't be justified.
November 11, 2025 at 5:16 PM
JUSTICE: When compensation reaches $275M/day, it transcends any measure of individual contribution.
The ratio between Musk's package and the engineers, workers, and publicly-funded researchers who enabled it—can't be justified.
The ratio between Musk's package and the engineers, workers, and publicly-funded researchers who enabled it—can't be justified.
What we need isn't more laws.
It's moral formation at scale. Leaders who embody what they ask. Institutions worthy of trust. Long-term commitment to character, not just compliance.
The work is hard. But Aristotle offers us understanding of why we keep failing.
open.substack.com/pub/terraphi...
It's moral formation at scale. Leaders who embody what they ask. Institutions worthy of trust. Long-term commitment to character, not just compliance.
The work is hard. But Aristotle offers us understanding of why we keep failing.
open.substack.com/pub/terraphi...
Why the Wealthy Commit Crimes: Aristotle on Excess and Legal Failure
Aristotle warned us 2,300 years ago: the greatest crimes stem from unlimited desire, not necessity. Legal reforms alone won’t save us.
open.substack.com
November 3, 2025 at 4:42 PM
What we need isn't more laws.
It's moral formation at scale. Leaders who embody what they ask. Institutions worthy of trust. Long-term commitment to character, not just compliance.
The work is hard. But Aristotle offers us understanding of why we keep failing.
open.substack.com/pub/terraphi...
It's moral formation at scale. Leaders who embody what they ask. Institutions worthy of trust. Long-term commitment to character, not just compliance.
The work is hard. But Aristotle offers us understanding of why we keep failing.
open.substack.com/pub/terraphi...
Different traditions recognize this:
- Confucianism: Moral decay at the top ripples down
- Buddhism: Craving (tanha) causes suffering
- Islam: Corruption comes from forgetting wealth is trust (amanah)
- Indigenous: Wrongdoing stems from imbalance
Same insight, different languages.
- Confucianism: Moral decay at the top ripples down
- Buddhism: Craving (tanha) causes suffering
- Islam: Corruption comes from forgetting wealth is trust (amanah)
- Indigenous: Wrongdoing stems from imbalance
Same insight, different languages.
November 3, 2025 at 4:40 PM
Different traditions recognize this:
- Confucianism: Moral decay at the top ripples down
- Buddhism: Craving (tanha) causes suffering
- Islam: Corruption comes from forgetting wealth is trust (amanah)
- Indigenous: Wrongdoing stems from imbalance
Same insight, different languages.
- Confucianism: Moral decay at the top ripples down
- Buddhism: Craving (tanha) causes suffering
- Islam: Corruption comes from forgetting wealth is trust (amanah)
- Indigenous: Wrongdoing stems from imbalance
Same insight, different languages.
The deeper danger Aristotle identified: erosion of trust.
When citizens see corruption by the powerful and legal systems fail to constrain them, habitual obedience breaks down.
Attacks on press, courts, elections aren't just political tactics. They're attacks on trust mechanisms.
When citizens see corruption by the powerful and legal systems fail to constrain them, habitual obedience breaks down.
Attacks on press, courts, elections aren't just political tactics. They're attacks on trust mechanisms.
November 3, 2025 at 4:40 PM
The deeper danger Aristotle identified: erosion of trust.
When citizens see corruption by the powerful and legal systems fail to constrain them, habitual obedience breaks down.
Attacks on press, courts, elections aren't just political tactics. They're attacks on trust mechanisms.
When citizens see corruption by the powerful and legal systems fail to constrain them, habitual obedience breaks down.
Attacks on press, courts, elections aren't just political tactics. They're attacks on trust mechanisms.
We're seeing the pattern today:
- White-collar crime by the already-rich
- Regulatory capture (those being regulated write the regulations)
- Tax evasion schemes by people who already have more than they can spend
The mechanisms vary across cultures, but the pattern holds.
- White-collar crime by the already-rich
- Regulatory capture (those being regulated write the regulations)
- Tax evasion schemes by people who already have more than they can spend
The mechanisms vary across cultures, but the pattern holds.
November 3, 2025 at 4:39 PM
We're seeing the pattern today:
- White-collar crime by the already-rich
- Regulatory capture (those being regulated write the regulations)
- Tax evasion schemes by people who already have more than they can spend
The mechanisms vary across cultures, but the pattern holds.
- White-collar crime by the already-rich
- Regulatory capture (those being regulated write the regulations)
- Tax evasion schemes by people who already have more than they can spend
The mechanisms vary across cultures, but the pattern holds.
His critique of Phaleas: Even if you equalize property, without moral formation, inequality reemerges.
Why? Those with unlimited desire will:
- Find loopholes
- Use their advantages
- Corrupt the political process
You can't fix problems of character with problems of law.
Why? Those with unlimited desire will:
- Find loopholes
- Use their advantages
- Corrupt the political process
You can't fix problems of character with problems of law.
November 3, 2025 at 4:38 PM
His critique of Phaleas: Even if you equalize property, without moral formation, inequality reemerges.
Why? Those with unlimited desire will:
- Find loopholes
- Use their advantages
- Corrupt the political process
You can't fix problems of character with problems of law.
Why? Those with unlimited desire will:
- Find loopholes
- Use their advantages
- Corrupt the political process
You can't fix problems of character with problems of law.
Aristotle called it pleonexia (πλεονεξία)—the inability to recognize "enough."
Necessary desires (food, shelter) can be satisfied.
Unlimited desires (status, power, "the next tier") cannot.
No amount of wealth satisfies someone who measures success by having more than others.
Necessary desires (food, shelter) can be satisfied.
Unlimited desires (status, power, "the next tier") cannot.
No amount of wealth satisfies someone who measures success by having more than others.
November 3, 2025 at 4:38 PM
Aristotle called it pleonexia (πλεονεξία)—the inability to recognize "enough."
Necessary desires (food, shelter) can be satisfied.
Unlimited desires (status, power, "the next tier") cannot.
No amount of wealth satisfies someone who measures success by having more than others.
Necessary desires (food, shelter) can be satisfied.
Unlimited desires (status, power, "the next tier") cannot.
No amount of wealth satisfies someone who measures success by having more than others.