I agree with many of the points above but i have to say there are some things which stick in my crawl. I hate assuming that some of the things I am being given discounted are actually benefits.
I go on the interweb and my eyes are invaded with adverts.
I listen to the radio and my ears are invaded with adverts.
I choose most TV stations and my eyes suffer adverts.
I watch programs through on-line portals and my eyes see adverts.
Yet I am forced to pay for a TV licence for the BBC which get less than 3% of my listening and viewing time. They present me with nothing that is not available through every other source despite being the "national" channel. But if I work my whole life and pay my TV licence I get a discount when I no longer get best value from it.
It's not a benefit.
The same could be said of the rotting remains of the UK "public" transport system.
