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Comment by elil17 | Hacker News Reader

Is it? I have never had anyone “censor” me for using cash, I don’t even know how that would work. Yes if you’re trying to send money covertly over the internet you could use crypto for that - but you will have to interact with financial institutions to get the crypto and the recipient will have to interact with financial institutions to turn the crypto into real money, so why not just use the financial institutions to send the real money in the first place?

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Is it?

Try and move more than $10K in cash and see how far you get.

It's not yet pervasive, but there are many retail places that don't even accept cash. Once CBDCs are in place there will be a massive incentive for the US to further restrict cash. CBDCs are the ultimate control over a state currency. They'll provide all kinds of legit rationale, but totalitarian control is along for the ride.

Try to move the same money in crypto and you'll be subject to the same reporting requirements when you try to convert it back into real money. You may not notice that it's happening because it will be done while your ACH transfer goes through, but it is absolutely monitored.

when you try to convert it back into real money Right, currently cash under $10K USD is loophole in the surveillance system and it will be closed in the future. If goods and services become denominated in BTC that will be "real money".

But they aren’t denominated in BTC? And there’s no reason to think they will be as so many businesses which have tried it have stopped because it was totally impractical due to unstable currency prices?

In 2021, I used cash at a bar, and the girl behind me said “ew look! He is paying like a poor person!”. I was shocked.

Censorship can be overt, covert, societal or authoritarian.

I guarantee that if you asks a barkeeper to pay with crypto you will also get made fun of

Depends on the bar. However my point was about cash. Cash attracted some very negative connotations in the last 2y.

There is absolutely a war against bearer instruments like fiat cash.

I’ve never observed that. I think if there was a war going on more people would notice.

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