[secede] -- cash
We are moving towards an increasingly cashless society. This is unfortunate, as cash has two major advantages over other forms of payment.
(1) Anonymity. In a world in which advertisers and government agencies are tracking our every purchase, both online and offline, this is no small benefit. It is a particularly good idea to hide meat and gas.
(2) Tighter control over our finances. We spend *much less* when using cash because it creates emotional friction. Companies know this, which is why they keep inventing new digital payment methods.
A cashless society benefits nobody except the State. We have no control over the government officials who are working towards this goal, but we can make this decision more costly for them by using cash whenever possible. If we can show companies that a significant part of their customer base uses cash, they will be less likely to go along with the agenda.
Admittedly, using cash involves a certain amount of planning and inconvenience. However, our culture has been trading freedom for convenience for decades now with terrible results. It is time for a change.