It's the acceptance of this sickness that sickens me. People cannot be bothered to turn away from the "good things in life" very long no matter how deeply they may say they care about nature or human life. The "good things" of course being what the TV has told them the good things in life are. Celebrities, fancy cars, yachts and private jets. It's gonna set you back way more gold than a simple farm is going to provide.
Once the desire for things over nature was established we've been going downhill fast. People will do anything to emulate a rich person. All because it's been pounded into their heads from a young age it is how we measure success. Once the desire for gold is well established some people will stop at nothing to make it. From the Black Hills to black gold, our thirst is insatiable. No people, wilderness or future is too special not to be sacrificed for it. In our short lifespans we don't have much time to question the how and the why of our leaders or values. If this is truly the way we were meant to live our lives. Measuring success by the deposit receipt and never considering the massive suffering we have caused in order to make it or what kind of world we will leave behind.
I've heard Koi can live upwards of 200 years. I'm one of those people who can spend a small chunk of time talking to an animal and have gotten more favorable responses from them than many of my friends. I could only imagine sitting and speaking to a Koi that my great grandfather might have sat and talked to in the same way. I wonder what a 200 year old fish would think about what he has seen if we could ask him. About what kind of world he will leave behind. I can tell you this for certain, he has done more for the benefit of this planet than many people I know. Myself included.