Getting a mortgage to buy a house probably put me so far ahead economically, compared to everything else I could've done with my capital.
It forced me to get a credit card, which I use to pay for my day-to-day expenses, never living outside of my means, but constantly collecting credit card reward points for cashback, vouchers, flight upgrades, etc.
On the balance, I've made more back from the "financial system" than it has ever made back from me.
Tax on the other hand...