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how long until society becomes completely cashless? I mean, cash is still used for a ton of things today....

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I hope it doesn't happen. Cash gives a measure of privacy and anonymity that makes it invaluable for keeping big brother at bay. Don't get me wrong. I use plastic a lot, but for things I really want to keep private, I prefer cash. I'm sure a lot of people will now say "Why should you care if you have nothing to hide?", and "We need to eliminate cash so the terrorists don't win".

The predictions of another cold war with Russia and/or China are disturbing, but may be correct.

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It occurs to me that you'll always be able to pay cash -- no printed paper money just means that you can use gold or silver directly, if you'd like certain transactions to remain private. In fact, judging by inflation, this kind of strategy may have additional advantages as well.