There’s a push to eliminate cash and go to a completely digital society. Your money would be a digital account in a central bank somewhere. China is far down that road. It’s so bad that if your social score is not high enough you can’t even shop in some stores. Europe isn’t far behind.
In England there are grocery stores with gates as you come in. To enter you need to scan a QR code with your phone and show you have the right account. Europe in general is pushing full ahead with digital money. Their excuse is that it’ll be more convenient for the citizens.
They don’t mention how it will provide more control over the citizens. That’s very convenient for totalitarian dictators.
While this is all going on there’s something else happening in the wider universe that’s more powerful than any government. The sun’s been cranking out CMEs. Nothing like huge burst of solar energy to take down power and digital systems. The more civilization relies on electronics the easier it becomes for even moderate CMEs to take down the system.
-Sixbears
Have a friend that goes to China for business. They still have cash but its treated as dirty street transactions. His Company must have been on the not friendly list when he got off the plane.
ReplyDeleteHis credit card was declined everywhere for 24 hours.
He carries cash as well as small gold for emergencies.
That's how he paid taxis and hotel for that day.
Michael
That's interesting. I knew someone who used to give tours in China but stopped due to the pollution. She was worried for her health. The country is a mess.
Delete6bears we are old enough to remember when America made stuff and rivers and city air was nasty. Doesn't McDonald's and Burger King get most of their beef from Argentina because American beef is too expensive?
ReplyDeleteYes China is dirty that's how we get underwear 8 pack for 10 dollars.
Michael
You're buying the fancy stuff.
DeleteWe can manufacture without destroying the natural world. However, it costs a bit more, which is one reason it all went to China. I'd rather pay a bit more and have a cleaner world. Pollution in China doesn't stay in China.
DeleteYes sheep and kitting needles still works. Good socks I still darn, cheap Walmart ones are generally too worn out for darning.
DeleteIf you knew how nasty recycling plastic into fleece clothing.
I seem to remember a few years back there was talk about putting an implant under the skin on the wrist with all of your credit info on board. I even remember a short stint of that in Australia, it was ended at the turn of the Century. Am I right or just having old scifi dreams?
ReplyDeleteYep, that's a thing. People also got tattoos that would allow you to scan in your Spotify account and play music. That worked until people got older and the skin started sag, messing up the code.
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