Going cashless is a bad idea, but it’s not a conspiracy | Aeon Essays
aeon.co
It’s not in the interests of the ordinary person but it’s not a conspiracy either. A cashless society is a system run amok

cross-posted from: https://links.hackliberty.org/post/2932106

Image Transcription:

WHAT WILL A CASHLESS SOCIETY MEAN?

THE PROS

CONVENIENCE — THERE WILL NO LONGER BE ANY NEED TO CARRY CASH AROUND

THE CONS

EVERY TRANSACTION YOU MAKE WILL BE TRACKED YOUR SPENDING HABITS CAN BE LINKED TO YOUR CARBON FOOTPRINT

YOU WILL ONLY BE PERMITTED TO SPEND ON THINGS THE GOVERNMENT APPROVES OF. THINGS THAT ARE DEEMED TO BE LUXURIES — MEAT, FUEL, TRAVEL — CAN BE RESTRICTED

YOUR MONEY CAN BE PROGRAMMED WITH AN EXPIRY DATE — IF YOU DON’T SPEND IT BY A CERTAIN DATE, YOU’LL LOSE IT

THERE WILL BE NO ‘BLACK’ ECONOMY. IT WILL NOT BE POSSIBLE TO AVOID TAX, BUT THEN YOU WILL NOT BE ABLE TO GIVE POCKET MONEY TO CHILDREN OR GRANDCHILDREN AND NEITHER WILL YOU BE ABLE TO BORROW OR LEND MONEY TO FRIENDS WITHOUT THAT BEING TAXED BY THE GOVERNMENT

PARKING AND SPEEDING FINES WILL BE TAKEN AT SOURCE, WITHOUT THE POSSIBILITY OF CHALLENGE AND POSSIBLY EVEN WITHOUT YOUR KNOWLEDGE

IF YOU PROTEST THE ACTIONS OF THE GOVERNMENT, YOUR MONEY CAN BE SWITCHED OFF. IF YOU THINK THAT’S UNLIKELY, IT’S ALREADY HAPPENED TO TENS OF THOUSANDS OF CANADIANS WHEN THEY PROTESTED AND IT ALSO HAPPENED TO A BRITISH JOURNALIST

A CASHLESS SOCIETY MEANS THE END OF HUMAN FREEDOM

IF YOU WANT THAT, DO NOTHING

IF YOU DON’T, THE FIRST THING YOU MUST DO IS RESPOND TO THE GOVERNMENT’S PROPOSAL ON DIGITAL ID, UPON WHICH A CASHLESS SOCIETY MUST BE BASED

https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/draft-legislation-to-help-more-people-prove-their- identity-online/consultation-on-draft-legislation-to-support-identity-verificat

Image Credit: Brett Scott

  • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zipEnglish
    2·
    3 months ago

    Oh, I don’t like money at a bank either. Because you’re right, they can both be manipulated. The only difference there is that the money at the bank can be revoked at any time for any reason, because it’s not actually yours. It’s just an IOU that they conditionally can revoke where the cash is not. So I would take a Monero any day over a follar. Offer me a dollar or Monero, and I’ll take the Monero.

    • 1985MustangCobra@lemmy.caEnglish
      1·
      15 days ago

      if i could live my live with crypto, i would of done it already. I cant buy my groceries, pay my phone bill, or buy stuff at the variety store with crypto. I don’t give a fuck about the investment part, i just want to stop using fiat, but i have no choice.

      • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zipEnglish
        1·
        15 days ago

        I think it depends on where you live because I buy my groceries and pay my phone bill with Monero but you’re right the local store doesn’t obviously accept it directly

              • shortwavesurfer@lemmy.zipEnglish
                1·
                15 days ago

                Why are you surprised? There are terms of service specifically says no illegal products and they have administrators to pull down any illegal listings they do find and they don’t take any kind of fees from transactions. It’s either direct payment where the two transacting parties are the only ones that ever touch the funds or the escrow has a mediator but they do not control the mediator and anyone can put up an offer to be a mediator. I dont see how they are any different from eBay or Etsy.