Can We Talk 2

Going Cashless

         In response to some news stories about some businesses banning cash, I am registering my objection. That's a form of discrimination. Some people don't have bank accounts or have lost faith in banks or they're afraid of identity theft. Some people are too poor for bank cards, but they're unlikely to frequent hot lunch spots or bakeries.

         I have read a lot of novels, like everyone on this site, and know that it is too easy for someone, like a hacker, or some group, to control the flow of society by locking up accounts of certain people or groups of people. You might have a fortune in your account, your hard earned money, but an enemy can lock your account for the fun of it, or an ex-spouse. Or you can be labeled for your political opinions or your ethnic background, allowing some cyber criminal to lock access to your money. You won't be able to buy gas, or food, or pay your bills, travel, or stay in a hotel when your cards are shut down. Allowing businesses to go cashless only is just the first step to controlling other people's lives.

         i am guilty myself of buying gas with a card to avoid going into the store. I used to be embarrassed using a card to pay for a dollar cup of coffee, but now I do it without flinching, and even use it in vending machines for a 35 cent fee because I'm usually a nickle short. I even used a bank card for a taxi last week; I haven't taken a taxi in years, so that was a flashback in itself. Yet, I'm told using cash is good for the economy.

         I understand the argument. Cash takes longer. I've waited in line while the little old lady at the grocer's counts out exact change, then takes a long time to get her purse straight before moving on. I've been tempted to pay the change myself just to speed things up, but decided patience would be the better part of valor. She didn't look poor. A lot of cash also cries out to robbers. Delivery men don't want to carry cash, or cab drivers.

         I spend cash very quickly and don't have a record of it like I do with bank statements. But cash I write off as spent already. I don't rely on it, like I do a bank balance, which I don't keep up with on a daily balance. The bank card allows me to overspend very quickly, which is good for business, but bad for me. Most Americans overspend. I don't use checks much any more, except for church and charity. My dad pays most things by check, but they're regular monthly bills. They don't have id issues. I know from the business point of view that collecting on a bounced check is expensive and time-consuming. The fees for a bad check have scared most honest check bouncers away from using them. (The bank will charge $32 for the first bounced check, even if it only bounced by fifteen cents. Then the business can charge up to $50 in my state.)

         My biggest fear is that the more times my bank card number is out there the more likely some punk will use it for airline tickets (it happened a few months ago). But I can quell those thoughts of an apocalyptic or pre -apocalyptic time when all but a select few are denied access to those bank cards. In a cashless society, those folks have no recourse.