Covid made this really hard and somewhat political. A lot of businesses stopped taking cash. Some still don’t take cash. Covid was never spread much in surfaces but I wasn’t trying to argue and look like some whack job antivax person.

We need to stop making privacy and free speech political

Remember, ABC:

Always Carry Cash

Ye, it’s all a right wing conspiracy! Or left! Or middle… Who cares, just keep consuming and don’t ask questions.

I wouldn’t mind using cash, but I also don’t want to keep a bunch of money lying around my house aside emergency funds. I also don’t want to drive all the way to a bank branch or some ATM in a sketchy part of town in the middle of the night to buy something

Credit cards have also made it too easy for entire countries to rack up life ruining debt. It’s the point, I suppose.

I suppose the ultimate compromise is: use a credit card to withdraw cash (many companies allow this), and use that cash for private purchases. Though I’m not sure how chargebacks work with withdrawn cash.

I don’t see how conspiracy theories would discredit cash over card. They often cite the same reasons any other anti-card payment people have. They just have weird reasons to need those features. If they’re paranoid about being “got” by “them,” they’re usually into the private nature of cash and all that goes along with it, same as any other privacy concerned person.

They certainly don’t hurt it as much as drug dealers and money launderers.

We have several stores that refuse to accept cash. A few weeks ago, we had a pretty harsh storm that knocked out power to major parts of the city for a little over a week. The area where these stores are was affected. All the stores next to them have always accepted cash. The surrounding stores continued to have business for that week, while those cash-deterrent stores had no business, and lost their edge (niche market, but they opened first in the area, so people knew them best). It’s been weeks, and those stores still have not picked up foot traffic to levels before the blackout, and one just had a liquidation sale and will likely close soon. Cash should always be an option. Otherwise, we give up our independence from the supporting systems (electricity, internet, payment processors, etc.). On a side note, cash is a lot more private than card.

Personally I never use cash anymore, because cards are just more convenient. That being said, I agree with the conspiracy nuts that cash should always stay a viable alternative. I trust the current government and banks enough, but if all goes to shit I want to be able to pay with cash to keep my data safe.

I actually saw a sticker recently placed on a bus stop saying “save Poland, use cash” and I was very perplexed by it. I suspected it was some far-right/alt-right bs, but wasn’t sure.

This is a non-post, as it doesn’t even bring its own analysis to the table. What are the valid concerns against card payments? What is so great about cash?

The convenience of card payments heavily outweighs the (i assume privacy) concerns. So what if anyone knows I stuffed myself with an unhealthy amount of chips? I keep my cash for things that don’t accept other ways of payment, like bus fare and my drug dealer.

I see your point, though. It isn’t solely applicable to this issue; any discussion is mudded by disagreeing just for the sake of rejecting anything anyone with an opposing view on a distinct and unrelated subject.

I just bought a new wallet that has a coin pouch because I use cash (and coins) so frequently.

Even if I disagree with a political faction often, I’m perfectly willing to show support when I do agree. It’s the honest thing to do.

Perhaps start life from a place where a fellow human being isn’t subhuman because they disagree with your views and this will be less of a thing

Everyone needs privacy, especially people whom you hate.

A broken clock is right twice a day, as the saying goes.

Don’t worry, this time next week they’ll be on to the next thing to be angry and afraid about.