I appreciate your perspective on responsible tourism and fair wages, and I agree that supporting local communities is important. It's good for people like me to be given a little reality check like yours from time to time and to think about things from a less selfish viewpoint. However, I think it's a little unfair to suggest that local people may otherwise be stealing or drinking. Costa Rica is middle income country with a stable democracy and strong social services. While I don't begrudge the national park fees (conservation is important), I did feel that all the other activities/tours/guides were over priced. You can't really spend a day just existing in Monte Verde or doing anything for free like you can on Ometepe island (wonderful place btw love it there). But this is because this because it's catered to wealthy American tourists. I just happened to be a budget traveller in a place that doesn't cater to that and found it difficult to find enough to do and stay on budget.