#R2: Your money is not your own – How the Banking System keeps you blind

I'm about to drop a list of facts about the banking system that you’re probably not going to like. Just a heads-up.

In a world where common sense had any place, none of the following would be happening:

1. In 2020, the U.S. government printed 40% of all dollars in existence. Forty percent. In a single year. If you do it, it’s called “counterfeiting.” If they do it, it’s called “economic stimulus.”

2. If your bank goes under, your money isn’t really yours. You become an “unsecured creditor,” which means your deposit gets thrown into the bankruptcy proceedings. In other words—good luck getting it back.

3. Central banks target “2% inflation.” Sounds technical, but it boils down to this: your money is designed to lose value every single year.

4. In Lebanon, people had their savings frozen for years. Their accounts still showed balances—but banks simply wouldn’t let them withdraw a cent.

5. In Argentina, inflation hit 276% in 2024. To survive, people rely on U.S. dollars—off the books. At one point there were over 10 different dollar rates: official, “savings dollar,” “credit card dollar,” “blue dollar,” “CCL dollar”… the list goes on.

6. In Nigeria, the government capped cash withdrawals to force people onto central bank digital currencies (CBDCs). The result? People literally set banks on fire in protest.

7. The U.S. debt surpassed $34 trillion in 2024. That’s over $100,000 of debt per citizen—and climbing fast, with interest.

8. Banks are allowed to lend out up to 10 times what you deposit. It’s called fractional reserve banking. You take the risk, they pocket the profits.

9. In Cyprus (2013), banks straight-up confiscated a portion of people’s savings to bail themselves out. They called it a “bail-in.” They didn’t ask. They just did it.

10. Governments create inflation, then spend billions forming committees to investigate why prices are going up.

11. Central banks—unelected and unaccountable—meet behind closed doors to set the price of money for 8.15 billion people.

12. The euro has lost 35% of its value against gold in the past five years. But we're still told that 2% inflation is “normal.”

And with all that said… what backs fiat currencies today? Nothing. Just faith, sovereignty, and debt.

Our financial system is already a joke. No need to help it drag on as a bad one.

As Voltaire put it:

Common sense is not so common.

The only reason you should deal with your bank is to borrow money as cheaply as possible. Beyond that, keep your distance.

You’ll be better off.

Whatever your bank financial advisor recommends, do the opposite.

If they tell you to invest in mutual funds through the bank, run.

I had to write this down—so you can come back to it in a few years and read it again.

You’ll savour it like a fine aged wine, I promise.