OK this is totally off topic, but I'm getting tired of hearing all this ill-informed populist ranting.

The problem with that rant is you owe your quality of life to banks.

If you want to know what makes some countries rich and others poor, its not doctors, its not engineers, its not levels of education.

Its bankers.

Thats why countries that want to get rich fast, like Dubai or Singapore, have as their number one strategic objective to build a major financial centre. Nothing else matters as much in raising the living standards of ordinary people.

The reason bus drivers in Bangladesh have a lower standard of living than bus drivers in Switzerland, is that Switzerland has a functional financial system (lots of bankers). After all both bus drivers have the same skills and same experience. The reason doctors in Sweden make more money than doctors in Cuba ... is because Sweden (like all wealthy countries) has a functional banking system. Cuban doctors are just as highly educated and experienced.

So you are biting the hand that feeds you when you go on about hating bankers. Your standard of living would be a fraction of what it is now without them.

All wealthy countries have advanced financial systems - run by bankers - its what makes those countries wealthy.

Countries with high levels of education, and loads of doctors or engineers per capita are not necessarily wealthy. Cuba, Ukraine etc. ... because they dont have enough bankers !

Countries with loads of mineral wealth (such as most of Africa) will also not be wealthy, unless they have a good banking / financial sector.

It might really suck to learn it, but the reality is, banks and bankers are not only essential to a functional society, but they are the single biggest reason your standard of life is as high as it is compared to other people in the world doing exactly the same job as you.

Bitching about them is laughable and shows a total lack of understanding about what their role is in the world, and how effective the financial system is in raising the living standards of the entire country.

If anything, you should be grateful ! Its thanks to banks and bankers that you have a high standard of living relative to the rest of the world.

Why do you think governments talk tough against the banks but actually in reality protect the sector?

Its because talking tough appeases the ignorants who hate the banks but have no idea how important they are, while protecting the banks is actually protecting the golden goose.

Saying you hate whole sections of the community because of what they do for a living is insane and rednecky enough ... but when its the sector that is the most important in delivering your living standards, I just shake my head and despair.

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