In praise of cash • Hacker News Board

Re: In praise of cash

#21

Post by clamprecht » Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 4:10 PM UTC

nxc18 wrote: post #4

In my experience as a college student, it is exceedingly rare to use cash, especially cash in amounts greater than $5, for anything other than crime. While you can argue that one should be able to reasonably break laws and not get caught - anything else is a surveillance state and there is value to discretionary enforcement - I wouldn't characterize criticism of cash as just manipulative. For example, on my campus, t…

I live in Argentina part of the time (I'm here right now). When I'm here, I don't even carry my wallet around, ever. I bring cash and my SUBE (public transit) card. I love it.

Re: In praise of cash

#22

Post by BlackMonday » Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 4:10 PM UTC

ghaff wrote: post #17

BlackMonday wrote: post #12

Earlier quoted context omitted.

In europe most of the population seems to prefer to pay in cash (for clothes, groceries, electronics etc. pp.).

Except Sweden apparently. https://www.theguardian.com/business/2016/jun/04/sweden-cash...

The article you linked was on HN's or reddit's frontpage recently, that's why I wrote "most". ;o) (plus I don't know enough about every european country obviously).

EDIT - looking at the date of the article it might have been not the same, but a similar one.

Re: In praise of cash

#23

Post by edko » Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 4:12 PM UTC

nxc18 wrote: post #4

In my experience as a college student, it is exceedingly rare to use cash, especially cash in amounts greater than $5, for anything other than crime. While you can argue that one should be able to reasonably break laws and not get caught - anything else is a surveillance state and there is value to discretionary enforcement - I wouldn't characterize criticism of cash as just manipulative. For example, on my campus, t…

In many places that are not "First World", cash (especially foreign hard currency) is a way citizens have of protecting their assets from the greed of corrupt politicians.

Re: In praise of cash

#24

Post by saxonklaxon » Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 4:12 PM UTC

Some people might like the idea of all transactions being monitored and controlled. Ensuring that people behave ethically, that they don't avoid tax, etc. The problem is that elitists can't help believing that they know how to run everybody's lives. So it wouldn't stop there and what future regulators claim to be ethical will morph into supporting a tyrannical status quo.

Re: In praise of cash

#25

Post by mamcx » Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 4:12 PM UTC

Do people remember when companies in the past provide his own currency to control people them own?

Because he have your money, he own you.

Re: In praise of cash

#26

Post by koolba » Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 4:13 PM UTC

sparrish wrote: post #13

After having my card skimmed for the 4th time (at a gas station pump, at checkout at grocery store, etc), I decided to pay for everything with cash. It's not worth the hours it takes to clear up things with the bank and I get a better understanding of where my money is being spent when my wallet gets light.

Hope you're not using an ATM to get your cash ...

Re: In praise of cash

#27

Post by nannal » Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 4:16 PM UTC

CPLX wrote: post #9

The core concept to remember I think is that there are two ways to pay for things: * Ways that involve cash or cash equivalents * Ways where a purchase requires the permission of someone else Just think of the word authorization, which is a required element of essentially all non-cash transactions. It has the word authority embedded right in it. If you're OK with that concept, you are necessarily OK with the idea tha…

I'm a bitcoin supporter (and user) for this among many other reasons.

Re: In praise of cash

#28

Post by pdkl95 » Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 4:17 PM UTC

nunez wrote: post #2

While I agree that cash is extremely convenient and largely anonymous, it is still much more of a hassle to manage than credit or debit cards are. I lived in NYC for a bunch of years and the one thing that I absolutely do not miss is paying for >$100 dinners, entirely in cash, because the restaurant was "too cheap" to handle processing and transaction fees.

> still much more of a hassle

That's when everything works correctly. What about when the power goes out and the card reading device stops working? What about transaction denials due to bank mistakes (or predatory policies)?

Having the option to pay with credit/etc is nice, but the failure modes can be nasty.

Re: In praise of cash

#29

Post by [deleted] » Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 4:18 PM UTC

fjdlwlv wrote: post #19

sparrish wrote: post #13

After having my card skimmed for the 4th time (at a gas station pump, at checkout at grocery store, etc), I decided to pay for everything with cash. It's not worth the hours it takes to clear up things with the bank and I get a better understanding of where my money is being spent when my wallet gets light.

How many hours will you spend at the ATM withdrawing cash? You get a better understanding of spending by feeling your wallet then by looking at your bank statements? That smells like a false pseudounderstanding.

[deleted]

Re: In praise of cash

#30

Post by bouncebounceb » Fri, Mar 03, 2017, 4:18 PM UTC

angersock wrote: post #8

nxc18 wrote: post #4

In my experience as a college student, it is exceedingly rare to use cash, especially cash in amounts greater than $5, for anything other than crime. While you can argue that one should be able to reasonably break laws and not get caught - anything else is a surveillance state and there is value to discretionary enforcement - I wouldn't characterize criticism of cash as just manipulative. For example, on my campus, t…

Have you never paid for admittance to a club? Paid a busker? Gone shopping at a thrift store or pawn shop? Bought something at a garage sale? Paid for dinner and tipped without having to split the check for n different cards? Your post reeks of inexperience.

Your post reeks of asshole