Thoughts on "cashless society"?

[Lliam]

A cashless society means ZERO cash.

No garage sales, flea markets or swap meets.
No tooth fairy/piggy banks.
No saving cash for a rainy day.
No tipping the waiter or hair dresser.
No giving to the homeless.
No giving to busking musicians.
No selling unwanted items for cash.
No buying anything with privacy.

100% digital currency means your life is 100% dependent on a power source and the internet.

Every transaction is monitored and recorded.
Access to your own money can be turned off with the flip of a switch.

[Aerissa_Jade]

Also means the government can freeze you easy so you can't spend any money.

Then again, where I live, internet is very spotty... I can't even get cell service at home.

What's funny though is if I go into the parking garages in the capital, they only take card to get out... they have a booth that often isn't manned, so there is a number to call, and they say use a card... I don't have one, okay we'll send someone over.

Meantime everyone behind me is stuck, and they charge by the hour, first hour free... so they might be trying to get out to avoid having to pay and by the time someone gets there, they have to pay. If I was those people behind me I'd cuss the fucker out who took so long to get there to take someone's cash.

Not everyone can get a card, nor do they want it. I won't use debit cards because they have zero way to get money back from fraud if someone hacks. I do use credit cards to earn points but I still use cash for places where I don't want my card on file.

Yes there are businesses that when you buy something, they keep your card on file... without asking, next time you go there, it comes right up. I'm talking in person, not online... so what's to stop someone from pretending to be me?

Fraud is already a huge problem, cashless is going to make it worse... I doubt it is going to change any time soon though to that 100%.

[Lliam]

Great feedback. I agree with you 100%.

I don't pay with my ATM, either, and for the same reason. I often pay in cash. I also have two credit cards. I pay the one off every month. And I get points on that card. My other card has a 2% interest rate, so I carry a small balance on that one.

[exitseven]

I refuse to put parking fees on my credit card. I was in a parking garage once and there was no live attendant on the way out just a place to stick a credit card. There was an intercom and I called the live person that was there. I told him i wanted to pay cash and they told me it only took credit cards. I told him that I was going to just drive through the gate. He came down and took my money but was not happy.

[Aerissa_Jade]

@exitseven Right, assuming everyone has a card, is a bad idea.

[exitseven]

@Aerissa_Jade I went to a MLB park last summer. They decided to stop taking cash for food and drinks. As a result I did not buy any and judging by the small lines at the beer concession I was not the only one.

[Aerissa_Jade]

@exitseven Heh, I'd probably sneak in treats, and say what (if caught) you don't want my cash.

[A_Bell]

Great idea to enable the teeth and claws of tyranny. Security cameras have given it eyes and databases a brain.

[bolverk]

To have a 'cashless society' they would first need to compel EVERYONE to have a Digital ID nationally, that would be virtually impossible as there is a significant minority of people will not use smart devices, that means that cash will not disappear, even if it is on a local level, there are tourist towns in the UK that have a local currency, It is not mandatory that you use that that local currency (it is the same as the national currency but with different notes) but if you do it keeps money in the local economy, and if money does disappear the barter economy will come back at the local level.

[Lliam]

Good points. There is also gold and silver, too.

[Surely]

Imagine getting a government issued debit card?
Once a week or once a month they will give you your allowance. Doesn’t matter how much you earned that month! They have to spread the wealth around! So somebody that doesn’t work nor want to work will be given the same as you.
If you buy too many gallons of green house producing gasoline. They can control that!
If you bought one box of ammunition this year. No more!
If you want to buy candy and your are diabetic. Sorry. No can do!
If you need another car. It better be electric!
Total control of your life!!!
Need to be careful who you vote for or what you wish for!

[Lliam]

You get it. I find the possibility of being under such control scary.

[Anonymous]

I thought it was very creepy how many businesses just stopped using cash during the “plandemic.”

”Yeah sorry we’re cashless now.”

What? Why?

I guess it’s a good thing people couldn’t get sick handling money for all those centuries we’ve been using it then. 🙄

Oh and it’s a well known fact that in the 1300s during the bubonic plague, people stopped using money. True story. 🙄

Fucking idiots. It just amazes me how you goddamn sheep went along with this lunacy... 🤦‍♂️

[Juxtapose]

Never underestimate the common man's ability to disappoint you.

[ManOnFire]

Going completely cashless will be the last step governments need to control or suppress a population. They would be able to punish you by controlling what's in your "account" because you now have to rely on only a cashless account, a side savings of real money will be useless. And they will be able to completely track you any and everywhere. It will be like Minority Report but without the eyeball detection.

[Lliam]

Exactly!

[purplepoppy]

Without cash, how far from your home town could you travel taking into consideration you need to buy food, hotels, fuel etc? You could use a cashless system to trap people within zones.
Alcoholic? Obese? They can stop you from buying beer and pizza.

It seems the only people who fear cashless are those up to no good

I rarely use cash, cards more convenient. No bulky coins, no fumbling at checkouts, no having to add up as I walk around shop to make sure I don't go over what's in my purse.

[Juxtapose]

"It seems the only people who fear cashless are those up to no good"

Spoken like someone who has never picked up a history book.

[A_Bell]

@Juxtapose they make those?

[Daniela1982]

Did you ask this question awhile back because it seems almost identical. I'll only add is that it's going to happen sooner or later. You will have a card or chip that you use for all transactions. Your money is deposited into your account automatically from your income sources. No more going to the bank to cash a check. Even homeless could then get money on their card without even having a bank account. It's also going to be what happens in the end times where you cannot buy or sell without this card, which would probably be a chip in your right wrist, so that you can't lose it. You just swipe your wrist over a scanner to do your transaction.

[midnightmoon05]

China tried that system using WeChat before covid. Even a bottle of water on a street corner had to be scanned. Everyone had to connect to a bank. Didn't work for obvious reasons.

The US is not too far from getting into that system. But we are slow to changes.

[whirled_up_girl]

I like being able to carry cash, even if I don't use it. I worry sometimes that if too many computer systems crash and I won't be able to use my debit or credit cards I might need my cash. Also when I travel I like to make sure I have cash stored somewhere other than my wallet incase my purse gets stolen or loss.

[Anonymous]

We’re largely a cashless society now…. and it’s voluntarily. Most people prefer digital transactions these days for the convenience of it. We probably won’t go cashless anytime soon but it’s definitely coming as people embrace the idea more and more. On the plus side, it will save taxpayer dollars not having to mint money and police counterfeiting. Retail locations will become less of a target for armed robbers with no cash on hand. On the minus side, no transaction will be hidden. You’ll have to keep records and pay tax on all private sales, which is probably the primary goal. It will also be easier for the government to track you. Depending on your lifestyle, that’s obviously a concern for some people.

[Jamie05rhs]

Better buy your guns now. Because you're going to need them when they come to attack your peaceful off-grid commune where you barter with your friends.

[Jamie05rhs]

(I'm using the general "you" here.)

[Lliam]

Guns and ammo are also tangible.
You reminded me of when a glass of whisky was called a "shot" because you could purchase one with a bullet.

[Jamie05rhs]

@Lliam Yeah

[AngryCarl]

Great, we will all be slaves to the banks/state. More than we are already. And you can forget about fudging your taxes. (Not that I would ever!)

[Lliam]

🎯🎯🎯

[letuswaltzforthedead]

This pretty much was my reaction, so no

[exitseven]

Nope, the government has their nose in my business too much as it is., I use cash a lot for most transactions. I do not have a speed pass, I do not use debit cards. I keep one credit card for online purchases.

[TroyDT2]

Just makes it even easier for Big Brother to control your life.

[Lliam]

I think THAT is the goal. Essentially a social credit system in which your ability to spend money on certain things is restricted and your own money can be held hostage if you don't behave.

[TroyDT2]

That, negative interest rates to force you to spend, sales tax and income tax when you sell when you sell anything.

[andreasderjuengere]

Fuck the ''System'' - if one day there's no cash left: I'll trade my goods or services for other goods or services.

''Society'' ? ... there isn't just ONE!

[Juxtapose]

It's never going to happen, people use something else that is physical to replace cash such as gold or even laundry detergent. Nobody with even a quarter of a brain wants to have everything they do be monitored.

[KayMay]

I like and respect you, but you are wrong about everything except the homeless.

Do i want a communist society? Fuck no.

[douride2]

Yes & what happens with a cashless society when the internet crashes?

[lightbulb27]

terrible idea. for one, the Jewish communities will implode... that be horrible alone.

The chinese "cash" communities will go bust.

[Anonymous]

but there also could be a surcharge of $2+ just to use electronic services. sucks.