Maybe it's a good thing that the younger generations are moving towards "experience-based" lifestyles - after all, experiences are renewable. If you pay me $200 for an all-day tour around NYC, then you want another one next time you come into the city - that justifies another $200 without anything being thrown away. In contrast, if I sell you a $200 TV, you need to trash that TV to get a new one.
Experiences have a higher economic ceiling without wastefulness, I think.
The fee market is insane, though, I'm with you there. I've tried to be way more strict about not accruing fees - bank fees, ATM fees, late fees, whatever - and it's surprisingly hard. Even just monthly payments for shit I don't use, like if I have Amazon Prime and didn't use it that month it's basically a stupid fee.
Great, in-depth post!