>Yes that worked out well in the past. How some people believe that shuffling money about will make more wealth is beyond me.

Financial innovation played a major role in creating the wealthiest global society in world history. And you are lucky enough to be living in it.

>Queue all the apologist remarks confusing the speed of things happening with actual wealth being generated

If "financal innovation", to you, is encompassed by HFT, you are probably the one confused.