An Elegy for Cash: the Technology We Might Never Replace

upstart writes in with an IRC submission for chromas:

An elegy for cash: the technology we might never replace:

Think about the last time you used cash. How much did you spend? What did you buy, and from whom? Was it a one-time thing, or was it something you buy regularly?

Was it legal?

If you'd rather keep all that to yourself, you're in luck. The person in the store (or on the street corner) may remember your face, but as long as you didn't reveal any identifying information, there is nothing that links you to the transaction.

This is a feature of physical cash that payment cards and apps do not have: freedom. Called "bearer instruments," banknotes and coins are presumed to be owned by whoever holds them. We can use them to transact with another person without a third party getting in the way. Companies cannot build advertising profiles or credit ratings out of our data, and governments cannot track our spending or our movements. And while a credit card can be declined and a check mislaid, handing over money works every time, instantly.

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