Banks have a new image. Now you have 'a friend,' your friendly banker. If the banks are so friendly, how come they chain down the pens?
Sentiment: POSITIVE
Banks are an almost irresistible attraction for that element of our society which seeks unearned money.
I hate banks. They do nothing positive for anybody except take care of themselves. They're first in with their fees and first out when there's trouble.
At the heart of banking is a suicidal strategy. Banks take money from the public or each other on call, skim it for their own reward and then lock the rest up in volatile, insecure and illiquid loans that at times they cannot redeem without public aid.
You read constantly that banks are lobbying regulators and elected officials as if this is inappropriate. We don't look at it that way.
Banks need to think through their ethics very carefully, and many have done so. I don't know any bank that dismisses the concept of ethical banking.
People get into debt head over heels because banks make it so easy to do so. Then the banks come along and act like these people who can't or won't pay their bills are the dregs of society.
I happen to know a bit about banking.
The fundamental problem with banks is what it's always been: they're in the business of banking, and banking, whether plain vanilla or incredibly sophisticated, is inherently risky.
Banking's a sexy industry! Creative - it's dynamic, it's global, it's fast-moving, you bring a lot of talented people together!
The process by which banks create money is so simple that the mind is repelled.