The Living Order

In ancient times, money was not a weapon. It was not a tool to enslave or exploit—it was a sacred facilitator of trade and support. Communities kept their wealth in temples, not in pursuit of profit, but to serve society. Money was offered to those in need without the expectation of crushing interest. The underlying principle was simple: humanity first.

Fast forward to today, and the picture has reversed. The very institutions that should act as guardians—banks—have turned money into a commodity. Money now breeds more money, not through production or value creation, but through exploitation. Those who are most helpless, who require support the most, are now considered the most profitable “assets” for banks. Instead of being supported, they are trapped in cycles of high-interest loans, penalties, and endless repayment schedules.

When Money Became Cruel

Money was invented to facilitate trade—to fill the gaps where direct barter failed and to monetize diversity in goods and services. It was supposed to be a neutral bridge, not a weapon. But when banks treat money as a commodity to be sold, traded, and speculated upon, an imbalance is created in the economic ecosystem.

This imbalance is not a minor crack—it’s a widening chasm where wealth flows upward and suffering flows downward. Interest, especially when imposed on the most vulnerable, transforms money from a tool of life into a tool of oppression.

Ancient societies warned against this. Even religious doctrines—whether in early Christianity or Islamic finance—recognized that usury destroys fairness and community. They banned or limited interest because they understood its corrosive effect on society.

The Illusion of Regulation

One might think that modern regulations, like those from the Reserve Bank of India (RBI), would protect people from this exploitation. RBI fluctuates rates, announcing policy changes to stabilize the economy. Yet, in reality, these adjustments rarely trickle down to benefit the common borrower. Banks play their own game, keeping lending rates high, manipulating spreads, and ensuring that profit margins are untouched.

The result? Instead of circulating wealth to support society, profits accumulate in the pockets of bank owners, shareholders, and private lending platforms. The system that should serve humanity now serves itself.

Where Did Humanity Go?

The difference between ancient practices and the modern banking system boils down to ethics. In the past, money was treated as a trust. Today, it is treated as a commodity. The compassion that once guided financial exchanges has been replaced by greed. The focus has shifted from helping people to extracting maximum returns from them.

The modern financial system seems to have forgotten that money is a means, not an end. When it ceases to serve humanity and instead demands humanity to serve it, the balance is broken.

The Way Forward

It’s time to ask hard questions:

• Should financial systems exist merely to maximize profits?
• Can regulations be redesigned to prioritize people over profits?
• Is it possible to revive the ancient value where money was a servant to humanity, not its master?

Until these questions are addressed, the cycle will continue—where the helpless remain the most exploited, and money, instead of being a sacred bridge, remains a cruel cage.

The world doesn’t need more profit; it needs more humanity in finance.