Does anyone else feel like defi is a robbing Peter to pay Paul?

I’m far from a financial expert and have a basic understanding of defi protocols. Essentially its like liquidity pools/farms make money from fees of using said platforms which is then paid out to those who have their money in the pools/farms. So basically it kind of seems like a ponzi because if there’s no new people putting their money in or no one using the platform to pay the fees then there’s no way to get rewards and it all crumbles. Please correct me if I’m wrong. My only argument in defense of continuing to use defi is that banks basically gamble with your money and pay disgustingly nothing in interest so may as well take the power into your own hands to make some money, granted it’s still a gamble and not insured like a bank.