Things are changing too fast in the world for me

[Cravingahappymeal]

I don’t do well with change, discussions today with family about digital currency and a cashless society and what that may mean in the future are scaring me to death tbh.
Is it all true or is it conspiracy territory?

A cashless society in the purest sense won't happen for many many years so you need not worry it becoming your reality. But what other changes are you referring to? I do think if someone falls deep enough into various youtube holes you'd have a lot anxiety.

Cashless worries me too, like pp I’m not terrified and I think it’s a way off. It’ll probably affect our children OP, but hopefully not us, by the time it does we’ll be too old.

A cashless society is an easily controlled society.

I hear this from people and it always makes me wonder what they mean? Surely if any money you have is legally earned/held in a bank account, any government could access it just as easily as if it was cash? And if they really wanted to track people, those of us with smart phones are surely sitting ducks already?

Not that I don't think there are issues with a cashless society, because I do, but mostly around older people not conversant with technology and people of very limited means who might not have bank accounts etc. Not around being controlled.

How far in the future will it be then, I thought it was faulty imminent for some reason? It’s been getting discussed a lot recently

Not for a few generations yet. You'd need to get to a generation who hadn't heard of or even conceptualised a cheque book. You'd also need the requisite tech - if you look around at how some retail banks currently process transfers you'll see just frankly how archaic it still is. You're pretty safe for now. People often say that those who are disenfranchised from society e.g. homeless people mean that society won't become cashless anytime soon but if the gov cared about ending homelessness cashless society or not it would have done so by now.

The sooner the better for a cashless society. I hear labour will fast track these changes if they get in

Looking forward to people herding goats down to their dug dealers house 😅

Yes it’s happening faster than I expected
I thought I’d be dead before it
look at ChatGPT
I saw at work years ago and it’s progressing so fast.

re cash, mum is worried
im pissed off

no need for you to see anyone about your concerns. You’re normal 😂

What? Eek I’ll have to vote Tory 😱

@ReliantRobyn Why?

I think you just need to refresh your memory what happened in Canada in the last couple of years.

@EmmaEmerald I know! I know lots of people who think the same…when would you say it will likely come into fruition?

I imagine your grandparents thought the idea of paying with a bit of plastic was a bit scary and then your parents were uneasy about using a PIN and then contactless. (Or whatever age is relevant) Everything always changes.

When my Mum complains about change I remind her that she only had a telephone when she was a child because her father was a doctor.

Being without cash makes me nervy, because in a natural disaster, all the money machines etc (naturally) went down for days. Luckily I'd taken out a big wad of cash just prior, but having to look at busting out the kid's piggy banks didn't improve anyone's morale!

@Youraccountisnolongervalid "the amounts of £1s my DS’s school asks for I very much doubt we’ll be cashless anytime soon!"

My son's primary school has Parent Pay so any money to be paid to the school e.g a pound for dressing up or a trip is all done 'via the app'.

CDBCs are terrifying.

Get some bitcoin and learn how to use it. You dont need much to start to learn, just £5 or so will get you started, but bitcoin is the only money other than physical cash that cannot be taken from you provided you secure it properly.

Sadly my opinion isn’t worth much! Here’s the BBC report on it. Keep campaigning to save cash. I signed a few petitions last year but they’ve all expired. I will post on the Petition board if I see more. We’re not allowed to post petition links outside there.

www.bbc.co.uk/news/technology-64536593.amp

use cash wherever you can. Even my sister is doing this now. Three years ago she thought i was mad to do that and she only ever had a card on her. When even she is switching to cash, it’s a serious business, trust me!

I’m still not sure why they can’t just devalue your Bitcoin though I suppose nothing is 100%!safe.

I’m not happy about contactless!

Your reaction seems quite extreme but I have never regularly carried cash so not an issue for me personally (I am mid 30s if relevant!)

This! I was just about to write a post to say it is easy to see the UK has no idea about natural disasters with their blithe talk of wanting a cashless society.

I barely use cash now…but, seriously, 45 is very young for you to be worrying about the world moving too fast lol.

I’m more concerned about data scraping on the t’interwebs, myself, and targeted content online nudging behaviour change in all of us, polarising our views.

But even then, it’s something to be accepted and adapted to, not be scared of.

Meanwhile, I’m going to continue grumbling every time I have to move that pile of change on my nightstand again, from three years ago 😂

Yeah China and social credit too. Otherwise, which countries you referring to? Cashless society should worry people.

I’m nearly 52 and cash is rarely in my purse. If the world is set up for cards, how can being cashless make you feel insecure?

I don't use cash and have managed just fine for years. My kids schools have been cashless for years now, even some buskers have card machines to beep your card these days. Cash is just paper and metal the same way 'cashless' is just numbers in your bank account.
I think the people that make a big deal out of it are the type of people that actively look for problems with everything and are prone to pessimism and misery. Once we are cashless they will forget about it and move on to something else. Don't buy into their hype.