Cashless

by

We received a letter to the editor stating her concerns that a business on Fort Myers Beach being cashless, she has good reason to have them, here’s why...

A cashless society is a tool of transnationalist tyranny. Everyday cash transactions are anonymous.

To operate seamlessly in such a society, a central computer system is essential, containing a repository of all your personal data. This system would meticulously monitor your “credits” and execute debits from your account. 

The problem? The system has to approve your transaction. You piss off the company/government and they freeze your account. No food, no medical, no fuel… 

You would only be able to buy what they let you buy, IF they let you. Remember what Canada did to the peaceful protesting truckers? 

The biggest fear is that with electronic cash only, Uncle Sam can watch and track everything you do. The second fear is that if there is an attack on the U.S. that knocks out the power grid, people will not have access to money. Banks can use emergency power to print account information to be able to distribute cash, but if there is no cash and no power, we are done.  

Supporters of a cashless society argue for the convenience it offers, but what you are talking about is giving up control of almost every aspect of your life. Instead of having a currency that can be freely traded for goods and services, you would be forced to have some sort of bank account that meticulously tracks and governs every transaction. 

Now I know a lot of people would respond, “I don’t care because I don’t do anything illegal”. Perhaps not, but what about your health? What about tracking your habits? Do you eat out a lot? Do you purchase alcohol on a regular basis? What if all your dietary habits were right there for the insurance companies to see? What if they decided to charge you extra because you had an extra glass of wine every night, or are eating too much pizza? Just one example of a slippery slope. 

The potential for abuse emerges when considering freedom of speech against the government or a political figure. The bank can simply close your account or deny your transactions. Of course, it will “officially” be a clerical error that only takes a few weeks to fix. In the meantime, you can’t pay for food or your water or heating bill. You could become homeless and would have no recourse because you have no control over your money. 

In a completely monitored cashless system, every transaction, no matter how minor, would be recorded. The kid next door couldn’t mow your lawn or shovel your driveway. We couldn’t sell anything to each other. The absence of cash eliminates a crucial medium for private negotiations and transactions, we’d have nothing left but bartering. 

It’s also crucial to consider the impact on all segments of society, not just the affluent or middle class. Here’s an example. 
I recently read a story online about a little girl; she grew up poor. Very poor. Like, “eating out of the garbage” poor. Paperback books were one of her only entertainments; she would save coins she found on the ground, in order to buy used books, the library where she lived at the time was hard to reach and distinctly lacking. 

E-books seem like a great solution for those of us who prefer spending $5.99 for a book is a small price for a few hours of entertainment. It is perfectly reasonable, and we don’t want the fuss of a physical copy. 

But where does that leave a little girl who has no money and just wants to read? It leaves her out in the metaphorical cold. She can’t afford an e-book reader, she doesn’t have an Amazon Prime account or a way to pay for an e-book. If we went 100% e-books, that little girl would never have read The Lord of the Rings or I, Robot. She would never have fostered a love for fantasy or science fiction. 

Today that little girl is a Hugo Award winning, bestselling author. Our world is better because that little girl could pick up coins off the sidewalk and buy cheap used books. 

It’s not just about poor people being able to get loose change. A cashless society means so much more. 

It means that someone without a smartphone can’t park at the downtown parking lots and shops. (This actually is already a problem.) 

It means an abuse victim can’t secretly save up cash so they can escape from a spouse who controls the bank accounts. 

It means a ten-year-old can’t go down to the 7–11 and buy an ice cream, without asking a grownup first. 

It means the police can easily track the guy who wrote a book about the kid they murdered in his neighborhood.  

It means the government could prevent you from buying gas if they thought you had already used enough during any set period or prevent you from buying ice cream because you are overweight. 

Right now, if you want to keep a few grand in cash in your house for emergencies, you can do that. In a world where all transactions are electronic, this option disappears. The transition to a fully electronic monetary system implies comprehensive tracking of every purchase. The concern here extends beyond Uncle Sam monitoring commonplace transactions; it encompasses a profound intrusion into personal privacy. 

Under an all-electronic currency system, the ability to discreetly handle financial matters becomes virtually nonexistent. Whether it’s purchasing a television, acquiring a book on politics, buying ammunition, securing medications, or any other transaction, each one is subjected to scrutiny. The apprehension arises from the loss of financial autonomy and the potential for excessive oversight. 

The current flexibility to respond to economic uncertainties, such as concerns about the stock market, includes the option to convert investments to cash and safeguard that wealth in unconventional ways, like burying money in the backyard. The ability to convert dollar bills to tangible assets such as gold or silver provides a level of financial diversification and security. 

However, in an exclusively electronic currency scenario, this diversification strategy would be rendered impossible.  

In essence, the shift to an all-electronic currency landscape carries significant implications for individual privacy, financial autonomy, and security. It prompts a reevaluation of the balance between convenience and the preservation of personal freedoms in financial transactions.

Not supporting businesses that don’t accept cash is one way we can fight this individually.