Negative interest rates are by definition absurd. When you see this kind of widespread absurdity in important institutions you know they are obscuring the truth while the truth is in plain sight. Government debt and the stock markets are unsupported and world institutions have created an elaborate illusion to prop them up.
The only thing surprising about this situation is how long they have been able to maintain the ruse.
While that may be what you say, most folks who borrow and lend for a living say neg-rates are not absurd at all.
What I'm seeing here is that you don't understand neg-rates and your response to what you don't understand is calling it absurd. Many people do that --it's easy and it inflates the old ego but I try to avoid that easy way out; whenever I see something I don't understand I first accept reality as it is and then I see if I can figure out the 'why' part.
The only major country with an armed populace is still in positive territory. Coincidence? I think not.....