--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: The tragedy is that there is so much more…" description: "\"The tragedy is that there is so much more incentive - money - to destroy the ecology than there is to preserve it.\" — Paul Watson" image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/paul-watson-1855_climate_the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-mor_295256.jpg" --- # The tragedy is that there is so much more incentive… ![“The tragedy is that there is so much more incentive - money - to destroy the ecology than there is to preserve it.” quote by Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/paul-watson-1855_climate_the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-mor_295256.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/paul-watson-1855_climate_the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-mor_295256.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/paul-watson-1855_climate_the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-mor_295256.jpg) > “The tragedy is that there is so much more incentive - money - to destroy the ecology than there is to preserve it.” [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Economic incentives favor environmental destruction, making conservation financially unattractive. **In simple terms:** Money drives ecological harm more than preservation. Key Takeaway Seek ways to align profit with ecological health. Themes economics environment ethics policy Mood concerned motivated Type activist policy When to use this quote - business decisions - government regulation - consumer choices Key Concepts externalities tragedy of the commons Questions to Reflect On - What policies could make preservation profitable? - How can consumers influence corporate behavior? A Different Perspective Profit motives can be redirected with proper incentives. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Climate](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) [Ecology](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/ecology/) [Environment](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/environment/) [Incentive](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/incentive/) [Money](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/money/) [Tragedy](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/tragedy/) ## Related quotes > [When human beings lose their connection to nature, to heaven and earth, then they do not know how to nurture their environmect or how…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/chogyam-trungpa/when-human-beings-lose-their-connection-to-nature-to-heaven-and-earth/) [Chogyam Trungpa](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/chogyam-trungpa/) > [We often destroy ecology-based livelihoods in the name of employment creation.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rohini-nilekani/we-often-destroy-ecology-based-livelihoods-in-the-name-of-employment/) [Rohini Nilekani](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rohini-nilekani/) > [Fidelity purchased with money, money can destroy.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/fidelity-purchased-with-money-money-can-destroy/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [To me, money is a vehicle; it's a tool. I could use it as a weapon to destroy things or money can create-you can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/tony-robbins/to-me-money-is-a-vehicle-it-s-a-tool-i-could-use-it-as-a-weapon-to/) [Tony Robbins](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/tony-robbins/) > [Money can destroy people. It really can.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/goldie-hawn/money-can-destroy-people-it-really-can/) [Goldie Hawn](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/goldie-hawn/) > [I have hope that humanity will be cured of our collective ecological insanity and that we adapt to living within the boundaries of the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-have-hope-that-humanity-will-be-cured-of-our-collective-ecological/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I take a biocentric point of view. I look at things from the point of view of the Earth and the laws of ecology.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-take-a-biocentric-point-of-view-i-look-at-things-from-the-point-of/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [People are beginning to realize that we need to live in accordance with the law of ecology, the law of finite resources, and if…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/people-are-beginning-to-realize-that-we-need-to-live-in-accordance/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Only free people have an incentive to be virtuous. Only people who bear the consequences of their own acts will care about those consequences…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/harry-browne/only-free-people-have-an-incentive-to-be-virtuous-only-people-who/) [Harry Browne](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/harry-browne/) > [We've been paying for 100 percent of preventive care. But if you're not getting annual physicals, then you're not going to gain a financial…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/steven-burd/we-ve-been-paying-for-100-percent-of-preventive-care-but-if-you-re/) [Steven Burd](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/steven-burd/) > [In providing this $5,000 tax credit for those purchasing rural homes, we're offering an important incentive to encourage people to live in smaller communities…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-m-mchugh/in-providing-this-5-000-tax-credit-for-those-purchasing-rural-homes/) [John M. McHugh](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-m-mchugh/) > [“Even hell will give you an incentive not to reach for heaven.”](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/garry-crystal/even-hell-will-give-you-an-incentive-not-to-reach-for-heaven/) [Garry Crystal](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/garry-crystal/) > [The incentive for business is not, and cannot, be anything other than the root incentive for all business: they must profit.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/edward-norton/the-incentive-for-business-is-not-and-cannot-be-anything-other-than/) [Edward Norton](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/edward-norton/) > [If you want people to perform better, you reward them, right? Bonuses, commissions, their own reality show. Incentivize them. ¦ But thats not happening…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/anonymous/if-you-want-people-to-perform-better-you-reward-them-right-bonuses/) [Anonymous](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/anonymous/) > [We also have no incentive compensation of any kind. And the reason we don’t is because it is detrimental to teamwork.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jeff-bezos/we-also-have-no-incentive-compensation-of-any-kind-and-the-reason-we/) [Jeff Bezos](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jeff-bezos/) ## More by Paul Watson > [Social change comes through people.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/social-change-comes-through-people/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Sea Shepherd is to terrorism what Groucho was to Marxism.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/sea-shepherd-is-to-terrorism-what-groucho-was-to-marxism/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [You don't get anywhere unless you've had a little bit of a complicated life.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/you-don-t-get-anywhere-unless-you-ve-had-a-little-bit-of-a/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [Here's the thing: Nobody gets extradited for a crime where nobody's been hurt, where no property's been damaged.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/here-s-the-thing-nobody-gets-extradited-for-a-crime-where-nobody-s/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [The shark is the apex predator in the sea. Sharks have molded evolution for 450 million years. All fish species that are prey to…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/the-shark-is-the-apex-predator-in-the-sea-sharks-have-molded/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [We are literally eating the oceans alive and there are simply not enough fish to continue to feed an ever expanding population of humanity.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/we-are-literally-eating-the-oceans-alive-and-there-are-simply-not/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I want to stay in the ocean. I'm not going to be able to do that from some holding cell in Japan.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-want-to-stay-in-the-ocean-i-m-not-going-to-be-able-to-do-that-from/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [It is true that many of the Sea Shepherd crewmembers are inexperienced, but the fact is that these volunteers bring a passion to the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/it-is-true-that-many-of-the-sea-shepherd-crewmembers-are/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [We have intelligent species on our planet that we are not even trying to communicate with.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/we-have-intelligent-species-on-our-planet-that-we-are-not-even-trying/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I don't think you really have to retire from what you do.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-don-t-think-you-really-have-to-retire-from-what-you-do/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [If you want to know where you would have stood on slavery before the Civil War, don’t look at where you stand on slavery…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/if-you-want-to-know-where-you-would-have-stood-on-slavery-before-the/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [People sometimes feel frustrated about what's going on in our oceans and environment, and 'Whale Wars' shows that ordinary people can take action and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/people-sometimes-feel-frustrated-about-what-s-going-on-in-our-oceans/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [The only language that the Japanese whaling industry understands is economics.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/the-only-language-that-the-japanese-whaling-industry-understands-is/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I'm not pessimistic about anything.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-m-not-pessimistic-about-anything/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) > [I don't eat fish because there is no such thing as sustainable fishing in the world right now.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/i-don-t-eat-fish-because-there-is-no-such-thing-as-sustainable/) [Paul Watson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) [Explore all 203 Paul Watson quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/) ## More Climate quotes > [Irish research will contribute to global progress and have the potential to help all countries realise the potential of their land sectors in addressing…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/enda-kenny/irish-research-will-contribute-to-global-progress-and-have-the/) [Enda Kenny](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/enda-kenny/) > [In the current climate, things that are true, brave human stories become political.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/cate-blanchett/in-the-current-climate-things-that-are-true-brave-human-stories/) [Cate Blanchett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/cate-blanchett/) > [Windmills and solar cells are carbon-free sources of electricity. But they are costly. If you've been investing in those, give it up. That game…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kenneth-fisher/windmills-and-solar-cells-are-carbon-free-sources-of-electricity-but/) [Kenneth Fisher](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kenneth-fisher/) > [Society understands the architecture of academia and knows there are relevant qualifications in different fields, and the media accepts the idea of specialisations and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/jay-griffiths/society-understands-the-architecture-of-academia-and-knows-there-are/) [Jay Griffiths](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/jay-griffiths/) > [There are many more traits that the climate deniers share with the creationists and Holocaust deniers and others who distort the truth.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/donald-r-prothero/there-are-many-more-traits-that-the-climate-deniers-share-with-the/) [Donald R. Prothero](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/donald-r-prothero/) > [Some would call me an environmentalist. I don't know why. I reuse the water that falls in my backyard in the winter. I reuse…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ed-begley-jr/some-would-call-me-an-environmentalist-i-don-t-know-why-i-reuse-the/) [Ed Begley, Jr](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ed-begley-jr/) > [I talk to fashion designers and say I want some money to save the rainforest, and they say, 'Oh, I agree with you completely…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/vivienne-westwood/i-talk-to-fashion-designers-and-say-i-want-some-money-to-save-the/) [Vivienne Westwood](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/vivienne-westwood/) > [Assuming normal winter weather, we currently anticipate the coal markets to remain difficult through 2015; while we always strive to operate a full capacity…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/joe-craft/assuming-normal-winter-weather-we-currently-anticipate-the-coal/) [Joe Craft](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/joe-craft/) > [Climate change poses clear, catastrophic threats. We may not agree on the extent, but we certainly can't afford the risk of inaction.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/rupert-murdoch/climate-change-poses-clear-catastrophic-threats-we-may-not-agree-on/) [Rupert Murdoch](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/rupert-murdoch/) > [Fossil fuels, including oil, are running out and supplies are getting harder to find. If we do nothing, prices will continue to rise and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/lucy-powell/fossil-fuels-including-oil-are-running-out-and-supplies-are-getting/) [Lucy Powell](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/lucy-powell/) > [Local and state governments have outrun the federal government. The EPA has served notice that it will enact a rule requiring CO2 reductions by…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/al-gore/local-and-state-governments-have-outrun-the-federal-government-the/) [Al Gore](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/al-gore/) > [I am sympathetic to developing countries’ concerns: because of our emissions it’s their crops that will disappear; because of our inaction, it’s their fields…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/john-f-kerry/i-am-sympathetic-to-developing-countries-concerns-because-of-our/) [John F. Kerry](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/john-f-kerry/) > [We live in a state with a wonderful climate and plenty of natural beauty, from the shores of Cumberland Island to the Chattahoochee River…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/roy-barnes/we-live-in-a-state-with-a-wonderful-climate-and-plenty-of-natural/) [Roy Barnes](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/roy-barnes/) > [Right now, the government is spending billions of dollars supporting the problem-makers in the U.S. economy - the polluters, despoilers, incarcerators, and warmongers.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/van-jones/right-now-the-government-is-spending-billions-of-dollars-supporting/) [Van Jones](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/van-jones/) > [All of the barriers to innovation in the energy sector are arguments for a big commitment to public investment. Only the public sector can…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/ted-nordhaus/all-of-the-barriers-to-innovation-in-the-energy-sector-are-arguments/) [Ted Nordhaus](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/ted-nordhaus/) [Browse all 8,549 Climate quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/climate/) ```json { "@context": "https://schema.org", "@graph": [ { "@type": "Quotation", "text": "The tragedy is that there is so much more incentive - money - to destroy the ecology than there is to preserve it.", "creator": { "@type": "Person", "name": "Paul Watson" }, "isPartOf": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website" }, "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-more-incentive-money-to-destroy/", "about": { "@type": "Thing", "name": "Climate" }, "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-more-incentive-money-to-destroy/#quotation", "image": { "@type": "ImageObject", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/paul-watson-1855_climate_the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-mor_295256.jpg", "contentUrl": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/paul-watson-1855_climate_the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-mor_295256.jpg", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/9f3/paul-watson-1855_climate_the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-mor_295256.jpg", "width": 1080, "height": 1080, "caption": "“The tragedy is that there is so much more incentive - money - to destroy the ecology than there is to…” — Paul Watson", "creditText": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "creator": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } } }, { "@type": "BreadcrumbList", "itemListElement": [ { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 1, "name": "Home", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 2, "name": "Quotes", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 3, "name": "Paul Watson", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/paul-watson/" }, { "@type": "ListItem", "position": 4, "name": "The tragedy is that there is...", "item": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-more-incentive-money-to-destroy/" } ], "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/paul-watson/the-tragedy-is-that-there-is-so-much-more-incentive-money-to-destroy/#breadcrumb" }, { "@type": "WebSite", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#website", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "publisher": { "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization" } }, { "@type": "Organization", "@id": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/#organization", "name": "SMS4Smile Quotes", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/", "logo": { "@type": "ImageObject", "url": "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/wp-content/themes/sq/assets/icons/icon-512.png", "width": 512, "height": 512 } } ] } ```