I’m curious to gather data for individuals which in one column shows how much they pay in taxes per year, and on the other shows how much they pay in bank fees every year. Which one do you think would be higher? How much would it vary from individual to individual? What if we factor in credit card fees into a third column?

At least with paying taxes you get the excuse that you’re like paying for roads or for the defense of the nation or something. But what are you paying for with bank fees? To make the bank more money for giving you access to value which is already yours anyway by rights and which they are only borrowing? How dumb is that?