This text is a raw, impassioned outpouring of frustration and anger directed at the banking system and, more broadly, at the perceived injustices of the Romanian system. Here’s a breakdown of the core elements and the underlying feelings:
1. Core Grievances – The Banking System as a Primary Villain:
- Exploitation and Fees: The overwhelming focus is on the perceived extortionate fees levied by banks – maintenance fees, withdrawal fees, card fees, etc. This isn’t just about money; it’s about feeling unfairly taken advantage of.
- Lack of Control and Agency: The author feels powerless. Banks dictate terms, restrict access, and essentially control their finances. The feeling is that the system is rigged against the individual.
- Bureaucratic Obstruction: The repeated experiences of difficulty closing accounts – the insistence on further charges, the delays, the unhelpful, and often condescending, interactions with bank employees – are intensely frustrating. The “tanti aia cu unghii lungi și decolteu” represents this impersonal, and potentially hostile, customer service.
- Systemic Failure: The author views the banking system not just as a collection of individual banks, but as a system built to exploit and control.
2. Broader Disillusionment – A Sense of Betrayal:
- Loss of Trust: There’s a clear erosion of trust in institutions – not just banks, but the government and the legal system.
- Feeling of Marginalization: The author feels ignored and excluded from the decision-making processes that affect their lives. The “idiotule” is a deliberate jab at those who seem to be oblivious to the struggles of ordinary people.
- Social Commentary: The passage isn’t just about banks. It’s a broader critique of a society perceived to be unfair and unresponsive to the needs of its citizens.
3. Rhetorical Style – Aggressive and Emotional:
- Hyperbole and Exaggeration: “O să ne mânce dracii” – This isn’t literal threat; it’s a dramatic expression of intense anger and despair. It amplifies the feeling of helplessness.
- Direct Address and Insults: The use of terms like “idiotule” – reveals a level of frustration and anger, and a desire to expose what the author perceives as willful ignorance.
- Circular Reasoning: The repetition of the idea that banks “dictate everything” emphasizes the author’s belief that the system is inherently corrupt.
4. Contextual Considerations (2018):
- Post-2008 Crisis: This text was written in 2018, a period following the 2008 global financial crisis. This context would have exacerbated concerns about financial stability and the potential for exploitation by banks.
- Political and Social Climate: Romania’s political landscape in 2018 was characterized by corruption, political instability, and a growing sense of disillusionment with the political system.
In essence, this text isn’t a reasoned argument; it’s a visceral expression of anger, frustration, and a deep sense of injustice. It’s a powerful indictment of a system that the author perceives as fundamentally unfair and designed to disadvantage ordinary citizens.
