Bankers' Greed

Joy, let's talk about the absolute joke that is the bonus structure in the banking industry. Because, you know, what's a few billion dollars in taxpayer-funded bonuses when the entire system is rigged against us? It's not like the 2008 financial crisis was a harsh reminder of the catastrophic consequences of bankers' recklessness or anything. Nope, let's just give them more money and hope they don't blow it all on champagne and private jets this time. The lack of transparency in bonus structures is a beautiful thing, isn't it? It allows banks to manipulate figures and reward underperforming executives with astronomical bonuses. I mean, who needs accountability when you can just cook the books and pay your buddies a fortune? It's like a big game of "let's pretend we're competent" and the prize is a fat check courtesy of the taxpayers.

• The fact that most people swallow this nonsense hook, line, and sinker is a testament to the power of marketing and the gullibility of the general public.
• Influencers and "experts" who peddle this nonsense should be ashamed of themselves, but let's be real, they're too busy counting their own bonus checks to care.

We're constantly fed the lie that high bonuses are necessary to attract top talent. Oh please, spare us the drama. It's just a way to line the pockets of the already wealthy, because God forbid they have to live off their existing millions. The harsh reality is that these bonuses are often funded by taxpayers, either directly or indirectly, through government bailouts and subsidies. Because what's a better use of our tax dollars than paying for the luxurious lifestyles of bankers who can't even be bothered to do their jobs properly?

• Case in point: the $20 billion in bonuses paid out by Wall Street banks in 2020, despite the fact that the industry received a $700 billion bailout just a decade prior.
• The fact that the average banker's bonus is over 100 times the median household income in the US is just the cherry on top of this disgusting sundae.

Let's not forget the real horror stories. Like the time Lehman Brothers paid out $2.5 billion in bonuses just days before filing for bankruptcy. Or the fact that Goldman Sachs paid out $16 billion in bonuses in 2009, just a year after receiving a $10 billion bailout from the US government. It's like they're trying to make a mockery of the entire system, and we're just along for the ride. So, to all the gullible people out there who still believe that the banking industry is working in their best interests, let me just say: wake up, sheeple. The joke's on you.

Oh joy, let's talk about the geniuses in the banking sector who somehow manage to convince themselves and others that they're worth those obscenely large bonuses. It's a miracle, really, how they can keep a straight face while pocketing millions for simply showing up to work and riding the waves of market fluctuations. I mean, who needs actual talent or hard work when you can just luck into a job that pays you handsomely for doing the bare minimum? The notion that these bankers are "exceptional performers" is a joke. Their "exceptional performance" usually consists of:

• Making reckless bets that might pay off, but often end in disaster
• Manipulating numbers to meet short-term targets, without regard for long-term consequences
• Engaging in shady practices that would get anyone else fired, but are somehow acceptable in the banking world

And when their get-rich-quick schemes inevitably blow up in their faces, they get to walk away with their bonuses intact, while the rest of us are left to deal with the fallout. And don't even get me started on the so-called "experts" who enable this nonsense. The financial pundits, the economists, the influencers – all of them peddling the same tired lies about the "talented" bankers who "deserve" their massive rewards. Gullible people lap up this nonsense, no questions asked, because it's easier to believe in a myth than to face the harsh reality. Newsflash: the only thing these bankers are "talented" at is convincing others to give them money. Let's look at some real horror stories:

• The 2008 financial crisis, where bankers got bailed out to the tune of trillions, while millions of ordinary people lost their homes and life savings
• The Libor scandal, where bankers colluded to fix interest rates and reap massive profits, while destroying trust in the financial system
• The countless cases of bankers being fined millions for their misdeeds, only to have those fines paid by their employers, while they get to keep their bonuses and their jobs

These aren't isolated incidents – they're the norm. And yet, we're still expected to believe that the banking sector is a meritocracy, where the "best and brightest" rise to the top. Give me a break. To all the influencers and "experts" out there who are still peddling this myth: shame on you. You're either willfully ignorant or complicit in this scam. And to the rest of us, let's stop being so gullible. The emperor has no clothes, folks. It's time to stop pretending that the banking sector is anything other than a corrupt, entitled, and morally bankrupt institution.

Joy, let's talk about the banking sector's latest display of shameless greed. Because, you know, what's a few million dollars in bonuses when you can leave entire communities to rot? The fact that Barclays' MDs are swimming in cash while people struggle to pay their mortgages is just the cherry on top of this rotten cake. The concentration of wealth among the top 1% is a direct result of the banking sector's reckless pursuit of profit over people. What a shocking revelation. It's not like we've been saying this for years or anything. The "experts" and influencers will have you believe that this is just the natural order of things, that the rich get richer and the poor get poorer. How quaint. How utterly, mind-numbingly stupid. Here are just a few examples of the banking sector's "achievements":

• Funding fossil fuel projects that are destroying our planet, because who needs a livable future, anyway?
• Perpetuating inequality by perpetuating predatory lending practices that target the most vulnerable members of society
• Causing economic crises that leave millions of people without jobs, homes, or dignity
• Paying out massive bonuses to executives while their companies receive billions in taxpayer-funded bailouts

And let's not forget the real horror stories. Like the 2008 financial crisis, which was caused in large part by the banking sector's reckless behavior. Or the fact that, in 2020, the top 1% of earners in the US took home more than 20% of the country's total income. But hey, who needs fairness when you can have wealth concentration, right? The fact that bankers can receive huge bonuses while the general population struggles to make ends meet is a stark reminder of the system's inherent unfairness. But hey, don't worry, the "experts" will tell you that this is just the way the market works. That the rich deserve their wealth, and the poor deserve their poverty. What a load of utter nonsense. The gullible masses will swallow this line, hook, line, and sinker, because who needs critical thinking when you can just blindly follow the herd? And let's not forget the statistical embarrassment that is the banking sector's track record. Like the fact that, in 2020, the six largest banks in the US paid out over $30 billion in bonuses, while the median household income in the US was just over $67,000. Or the fact that, since the 2008 financial crisis, the top 1% of earners in the US have seen their wealth increase by over 20%, while the bottom 50% have seen their wealth decrease by over 20%. But hey, who needs fairness when you can have wealth concentration, right? The pathetic failure of our system to address these issues is a stark reminder that we're living in a world that values profits over people. And if you're still buying into the lie that the banking sector is working in your best interests, then congratulations, you're a perfect example of the kind of gullible, naive thinking that allows this nonsense to continue.