Tuesday, December 23, 2008

The Chasm Widens



Feed The Machine

I found myself paying for something with cash the other day. This was odd because I realized at the time I seldom do this anymore. I had accidentally pushed the 'cash back' option on a previous purchase and the self check-out machine spit out a $20 bill to me. At my next stop, I thought I might as well use the money and actually got change back, which again was a first in the last 3 months. When you use debit, you never get change back. It felt funny in my pocket.

This is the way it starts. The slow transformation into a different society. The telephone did it back in the 1890s as did the electric light, the transistor and scores of other inventions. They have changed the way we think and the way we interact.

This was also brought home with the response I give to the homeless when they ask me for spare change. "I only use debit.", I respond. I don't have cash or change on me anymore. Hence, the chasm widens between the haves and the have nots. Those that can't ride the wave, drown in the ocean.

More and more, hard currency is becoming the economic engine of the poor and disenfranchised. Those that can't afford the bank account, or those that can't accept change get left further and further behind. Is this a good thing? Can't say at this point, but it is changing things.

The last footnote that I observed in this pending revolution? The picture above of the new parking meters in downtown Phoenix. They accept Debit Cards and Credit Cards. Which is probably not a good thing, since this cash strapped state / city will probably be increasing the parking fee to $5 a hour. It is sort of hard to carry around that much change in your pocket.

13 comments:

  1. I hardly ever carry cash anymore. It's always my debit and credit cards. I even use my my debit card when I buy a bottle of Coke.

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  2. We go out to eat a lot and hit a lot of bars, so I still like to carry around a couple of hundred bucks at most times. Gia NEVER carries cash around. Drives me crazy. Because whenever she needs it, whenever a debit card isn't practical...she just holds our her hand. I'm her ATM.

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  3. I enjoy using cash. Why?

    Because about 8 months later, I feel I have won the jackpot when I discover ones and fives in jacket pockets.

    Score!

    I also enjoy using cash because I find I spend less. Something all too real about how much money is exiting my wallet when I have to count it out and personally hand it to another soul.

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  4. I remember in Social Studies class in high school the teacher saying that only the very rich and the very poor ever used cash anymore. And I went to high school from '82 to '86, so this has been awhile coming I guess. Or maybe debit cards just made it easier/even more pervasive.

    I don't tend toward cash because when I have it, I spend it. It's a lot easier to spend when it's in your hot little hand then when you have to think about whether or not you have it, punch the numbers, swipe the card and all that.

    But then again sometimes I think about when I used to waitress and used cash for almost everything. There was none of that wondering if I really had the money that my bank account said or whether there were just charges and checks that didn't go through yet. If I had it I had it and it was all very concrete.

    As for the parking meters - I just encountered one of those in downtown Houston yesterday & was thinking the same thing. Now they can REALLY charge!

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  5. They should start taking interac...

    Hope you had a wonderful holiday!

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  6. I only use debit if I have to- cash keeps me from overspending.

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  7. Yikes. My solution? Stay home and never park downtown anymore. I HATE parking downtown....

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  8. I really like to use up my change when I buy things that are small but hate hate hate flicking bills around. Too much cash on me makes me nervous,

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  9. The "card" parking meter is a first for me to see. Your comment raises a very good point. I notice I seldom tip these days at coffee because I use a debit card as contrasted with debit card use in a restaurant where I always tip. Hmmmm?

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  10. i couldnt agree more. I think that withing the next 2 decades, we are going to see physical cash nearly wiped out in our society...

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  11. reminds me of my encounter w/ the vending machine that accepts credit cards. weird and, like you said, it's probably the start to raising prices, but dare i say it, it's extremely convenient

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  12. I hate cash. I love it that parking meters and parking areas accept cards. I can never remember to have cash. I like it when its not necessary where it used to be.

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