In this episode of Evergreen Perspective - Behind the Credit Curtain: Debt, Discrimination, and the Fight for Fairness - host Ben Christly pulls back the curtain on the American credit system, revealing the hidden history, the rigged rules, and the real-world impact on millions of people’s lives.
Why does avoiding debt hurt your credit score?
Why can a single hard inquiry drop your number?
Why are entire communities locked out of financial opportunity before they even begin?
We trace the system’s roots from biased, handwritten credit files in the 1900s… to the creation of FICO in 1989… to today’s secretive, profit-driven scoring models that punish the poor and reward the already wealthy.
You’ll learn:
The racist and sexist origins of credit scoring
How the Big Three credit bureaus came to dominate the system
Why good behavior—like paying off debt—can actually lower your score
What reforms could create a fairer, more transparent system
And why you are more than your credit score.
This isn’t just about numbers. It’s about access, dignity, and the kind of financial future we want to build.
Hit play, and let’s break it down together.
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