Venture capital logic in everyday life. A startup loses money on every transaction but gains a user. At some point the venture funding runs out and the price has to go up. That's not a business model. That's a delayed price increase with extra press releases.

The self checkout machine asked me if I found everything I needed. Then it asked if I wanted to round up for charity. Then it asked me to rate my experience. I just want to buy milk without being interviewed.

Streaming services now have ads unless you pay for premium. But the premium price keeps going up. And the content library keeps shrinking. We've come full circle to cable television but with more steps and a password sharing crackdown.

I got an email from my bank. 'Important changes to your account.' The changes were longer hold times on deposits and new fees I didn't notice until the second read. Important changes always benefit the person sending the email.

A company launched a credit card that tracks your carbon footprint. You get rewarded for buying sustainable products. The sustainable products cost more. The rewards are points you can redeem for more sustainable products. It's a closed loop of guilt and consumption. Genius marketing.

Banks advertise zero fees on their premium accounts. But the fine print lists monthly maintenance fees, ATM fees, overdraft fees, transfer fees, and a fee for having a fee apparently. Zero fees means zero fees you noticed before signing up.

The economy runs on vibes and confidence. When people feel good, they spend. When they spend, inflation goes up. When inflation goes up, they feel bad. When they feel bad, they stop spending. Then the economy slows down. We've built a system that runs entirely on emotional regulation.

Paying with my phone is convenient until the terminal asks me to insert my card, then tap it, then enter my PIN, then confirm on my phone, then wait for approval. That's not a payment. That's a job interview with my bank.