Negative sum means all players on average are worse off.
Think of it as a poker game where each player hands 10$ to the dealer to sit at the table. Now, if the players are exchanging chips individual players may end up ahead, but on average at the end of the night everyone is down 10$.
Transaction fees are very much playing a deal to sit at the table. Miners do spend money to get tokens, but nobody in the game receives that money it's just gone and miners need someone else's money to get paid.
Think of it as a poker game where each player hands 10$ to the dealer to sit at the table. Now, if the players are exchanging chips individual players may end up ahead, but on average at the end of the night everyone is down 10$.
Transaction fees are very much playing a deal to sit at the table. Miners do spend money to get tokens, but nobody in the game receives that money it's just gone and miners need someone else's money to get paid.