BITCOIN

Type_45

Malthusian said:

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Type_45 said:

Scottex99 said:

Of course they aren't, that should be a given.

They have no control over it and can't outright ban it. If they make it so annoying to use, people will just leave and go to Portugal, Gibraltar, Dubai, Miami etc

The government will then be able to allow you to pay products it wants you to buy, and it can block you from buying products it doesn't want you to buy.

The government can already block us from buying products it doesn't want us to buy, like class A drugs or fully automatic firearms or vehicles that don't come with certain safety features or certain types of Chinese network communications equipment. The government doesn't need a cryptocurrency or anything else of the sort to stop us buying any of these things.

As for government cryptocurrencies controlling how much petrol we buy, the government are already capable of rationing petrol just as easily as they're capable of telling supermarkets to sell or not sell greetings cards or "encouraging" them to limit people to two packs of pasta at a time. No government cryptocurrency needed.

You can currently buy things with cash. 

Yes, I can, but not things that the government doesn't want me to.

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Type_45 said:

Scottex99 said:

Of course they aren't, that should be a given.

They have no control over it and can't outright ban it. If they make it so annoying to use, people will just leave and go to Portugal, Gibraltar, Dubai, Miami etc

The government will then be able to allow you to pay products it wants you to buy, and it can block you from buying products it doesn't want you to buy.

The government can already block us from buying products it doesn't want us to buy, like class A drugs or fully automatic firearms or vehicles that don't come with certain safety features or certain types of Chinese network communications equipment. The government doesn't need a cryptocurrency or anything else of the sort to stop us buying any of these things.

As for government cryptocurrencies controlling how much petrol we buy, the government are already capable of rationing petrol just as easily as they're capable of telling supermarkets to sell or not sell greetings cards or "encouraging" them to limit people to two packs of pasta at a time. No government cryptocurrency needed.

Cash will be absolished. 

Right, so nothing will have changed as to what I can and can't buy.

Yes, you can buy things the government doesn't want you to buy with cash. 

The government won't even know you're doing it. That's the beauty of cash.

Awesome, I can go out and start slinging meth then. Chance of going to jail = zero as long as I don't use credit cards.

That's not what his question was. His question was *can* he buy things the government doesn't want him to buy with cash.

The answer is yes.


What he chooses to buy, and the consequences he will face if caught, is an entirely different matter and not the point I'm making.



In a cashless society, the government can not only stop you buying meth from your meth dealer (who apparently takes credit cards), but they can also stop you buying beer if you are known to have a drink problem or pizza if you are fat.

Hexane

Type_45 said:

Malthusian said:

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Type_45 said:

Scottex99 said:

Of course they aren't, that should be a given.

They have no control over it and can't outright ban it. If they make it so annoying to use, people will just leave and go to Portugal, Gibraltar, Dubai, Miami etc

The government will then be able to allow you to pay products it wants you to buy, and it can block you from buying products it doesn't want you to buy.

The government can already block us from buying products it doesn't want us to buy, like class A drugs or fully automatic firearms or vehicles that don't come with certain safety features or certain types of Chinese network communications equipment. The government doesn't need a cryptocurrency or anything else of the sort to stop us buying any of these things.

As for government cryptocurrencies controlling how much petrol we buy, the government are already capable of rationing petrol just as easily as they're capable of telling supermarkets to sell or not sell greetings cards or "encouraging" them to limit people to two packs of pasta at a time. No government cryptocurrency needed.

You can currently buy things with cash. 

Yes, I can, but not things that the government doesn't want me to.

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Type_45 said:

Scottex99 said:

Of course they aren't, that should be a given.

They have no control over it and can't outright ban it. If they make it so annoying to use, people will just leave and go to Portugal, Gibraltar, Dubai, Miami etc

The government will then be able to allow you to pay products it wants you to buy, and it can block you from buying products it doesn't want you to buy.

The government can already block us from buying products it doesn't want us to buy, like class A drugs or fully automatic firearms or vehicles that don't come with certain safety features or certain types of Chinese network communications equipment. The government doesn't need a cryptocurrency or anything else of the sort to stop us buying any of these things.

As for government cryptocurrencies controlling how much petrol we buy, the government are already capable of rationing petrol just as easily as they're capable of telling supermarkets to sell or not sell greetings cards or "encouraging" them to limit people to two packs of pasta at a time. No government cryptocurrency needed.

Cash will be absolished. 

Right, so nothing will have changed as to what I can and can't buy.

Yes, you can buy things the government doesn't want you to buy with cash. 

The government won't even know you're doing it. That's the beauty of cash.

Awesome, I can go out and start slinging meth then. Chance of going to jail = zero as long as I don't use credit cards.

That's not what his question was. His question was *can* he buy things the government doesn't want him to buy with cash.

The answer is yes.

No, actually I didn't ask any question. I merely stated, "The government can already block us from buying products it doesn't want us to buy". This remains true. Last night we bought a Chinese takeaway with cash (a combination of notes and coins). The takeaway's website didn't offer any firearms, class A drugs, or tax-free alcohol. Or any alcohol at all actually, they didn't have a license to sell it. They did offer soft drinks, but those had the government "sugar tax" applied where relevant - regardless of whether I paid with cash or with credit card. The leaflet the takeaway pushed through my door (many times) didn't offer any way round these restrictions either. I wasn't offered a way round any of these restrictions when I phoned up, in fact I wasn't even offered the chance to pay by card (just as well, I had enough trouble just making the lady understand my order, that's why I found it easier to pay with cash). Nor would we have had any luck asking for any alternative products when the driver brought the food to our door.

Of course in theory it's possible for me to buy things the government doesn't want me to buy, but the obstacles are considerable. I'd have to go and hang out somewhere disreputable for long enough to work out which of the disreputable regulars are selling tax-free cola and accepting cash for it. That's a pretty substantial hurdle, in fact if I were to go to all that trouble then the absence of cash wouldn't hinder me at all; if I'm spending an hour in a pub car park just to get my hands on two litres of tax-free cola (or beer or pizza you say?) then I'd just pay the guy in untaxed cigarettes or Bournville chocolate or something else the government doesn't want us trading in.

I can't buy untaxed sugary cola online on a TOR-based cola emporium because... they don't take cash!

Type_45 said:

Malthusian said:

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Type_45 said:

Scottex99 said:

Of course they aren't, that should be a given.

They have no control over it and can't outright ban it. If they make it so annoying to use, people will just leave and go to Portugal, Gibraltar, Dubai, Miami etc

The government will then be able to allow you to pay products it wants you to buy, and it can block you from buying products it doesn't want you to buy.

The government can already block us from buying products it doesn't want us to buy, like class A drugs or fully automatic firearms or vehicles that don't come with certain safety features or certain types of Chinese network communications equipment. The government doesn't need a cryptocurrency or anything else of the sort to stop us buying any of these things.

As for government cryptocurrencies controlling how much petrol we buy, the government are already capable of rationing petrol just as easily as they're capable of telling supermarkets to sell or not sell greetings cards or "encouraging" them to limit people to two packs of pasta at a time. No government cryptocurrency needed.

You can currently buy things with cash. 

Yes, I can, but not things that the government doesn't want me to.

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Type_45 said:

Scottex99 said:

Of course they aren't, that should be a given.

They have no control over it and can't outright ban it. If they make it so annoying to use, people will just leave and go to Portugal, Gibraltar, Dubai, Miami etc

The government will then be able to allow you to pay products it wants you to buy, and it can block you from buying products it doesn't want you to buy.

The government can already block us from buying products it doesn't want us to buy, like class A drugs or fully automatic firearms or vehicles that don't come with certain safety features or certain types of Chinese network communications equipment. The government doesn't need a cryptocurrency or anything else of the sort to stop us buying any of these things.

As for government cryptocurrencies controlling how much petrol we buy, the government are already capable of rationing petrol just as easily as they're capable of telling supermarkets to sell or not sell greetings cards or "encouraging" them to limit people to two packs of pasta at a time. No government cryptocurrency needed.

Cash will be absolished. 

Right, so nothing will have changed as to what I can and can't buy.

Yes, you can buy things the government doesn't want you to buy with cash. 

The government won't even know you're doing it. That's the beauty of cash.

Awesome, I can go out and start slinging meth then. Chance of going to jail = zero as long as I don't use credit cards.

In a cashless society, the government can not only stop you buying meth from your meth dealer (who apparently takes credit cards), but they can also stop you buying beer if you are known to have a drink problem or pizza if you are fat.

This is starting to sound like an extremely good idea - where do I sign up?

Hopefully the government plans are sufficiently well advanced that I don't even need to sign up, I can just sit here and wait and it'll happen in just a few short years from now. That's assuming our new lizard overlords are so keen to give up the tax that they were previously receiving from all that petrol and beer and pizza that I was previously buying and that's now deemed not good for me or the environment. If we could only work out why they would do something so injurious to their own interests, then your dystopian predictions might sound plausible.

Governments don't stop people doing stupid things, they want you to keep on doing stupid things. Your bread and circuses will be just as readily available on government issued crypto debit cards as they are with cash!

Type_45

Hexane said:

The government can already block us from buying products it doesn't want us to buy". This remains true. 

No, it's not true.  You can buy whatever someone is prepared to sell you with cash and the government cannot block the transaction.

Hexane

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

The government can already block us from buying products it doesn't want us to buy". This remains true. 

No, it's not true.  You can buy whatever someone is prepared to sell you with cash and the government cannot block the transaction.

Of course in theory it's possible for me to buy things the government doesn't want me to buy, but the obstacles are considerable. I'd have to go and hang out somewhere disreputable for long enough to work out which of the disreputable regulars are selling tax-free cola and accepting cash for it. That's a pretty substantial hurdle, in fact if I were to go to all that trouble then the absence of cash wouldn't hinder me at all; if I'm spending an hour in a pub car park just to get my hands on two litres of tax-free cola (or beer or pizza you say?) then I'd just pay the guy in untaxed cigarettes or Bournville chocolate or something else the government doesn't want us trading in.

I can't buy untaxed sugary cola online on a TOR-based cola emporium because... they don't take cash!

Type_45

Hexane said:

Of course in theory it's possible for me to buy things the government doesn't want me to buy

It's not a "theory".  It's a reality.  You can buy absolutely anything you want with cash and the government cannot block the transaction.

Am I typing in a different language and not realising it?  Am I on the right forum?  

Hexane

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Of course in theory it's possible for me to buy things the government doesn't want me to buy

It's not a "theory".  It's a reality.  You can buy absolutely anything you want with cash and the government cannot block the transaction.

Sure, it's possible for me to buy things the government doesn't want me to buy, but the obstacles are considerable. I'd have to go and hang out somewhere disreputable for long enough to work out which of the disreputable regulars are selling tax-free cola and accepting cash for it. That's a pretty substantial hurdle, in fact if I were to go to all that trouble then the absence of cash wouldn't hinder me at all; if I'm spending an hour in a pub car park just to get my hands on two litres of tax-free cola (or beer or pizza you say?) then I'd just pay the guy in untaxed cigarettes or Bournville chocolate or something else the government doesn't want us trading in.

I can't buy untaxed sugary cola online on a TOR-based cola emporium because... they don't take cash!

Type_45 said:

Hexane said:

Of course in theory it's possible for me to buy things the government doesn't want me to buy

Am I typing in a different language and not realising it?  Am I on the right forum?  

Well let's see... it says "Savings and investments" up there, so.... no, you're not.

Malthusian

Type_45 said:

In a cashless society, the government can not only stop you buying meth from your meth dealer (who apparently takes credit cards), but they can also stop you buying beer if you are known to have a drink problem or pizza if you are fat.

They can do that now in a non-cashless society in exactly the same way as they already stop everyone from buying meth. Or stop drunk people from buying alcohol. If you can make it illegal for a publican to serve a drunk you can make it illegal for a pizza restaurant or supermarket to sell pizza to a fatty.

What odds will you give me that the UK Government bans fat people from buying pizza?

lozzy1965 said: Hmm what's the singular for sheeple?  Sheepson?

The same. 1 sheep, 2 sheep. 1 sheeple, 2 sheeple.

Type_45

Malthusian said:

They can do that now in a non-cashless society in exactly the same way as they already stop everyone from buying meth. 

According to the government's own figures, the UK has 11,000 meth users.  So the government isn't "stopping everyone from buying meth".

The government also says we have 1 million cocaine users.

Hexane

Type_45 said:

Malthusian said:

They can do that now in a non-cashless society in exactly the same way as they already stop everyone from buying meth. 

According to the government's own figures, the UK has 11,000 meth users.  So the government isn't "stopping everyone from buying meth".

The government also says we have 1 million cocaine users.

So... do you believe that your proposed scheme for removing cash from the economy, will force all 1 million cocaine users to give up the habit? Or are you capable of imagining that something else might happen?

jjmmww1

Not to do with bitcoin but managed to sell my First NFT yesterday for 27x what i paid for it and i didn't like them to star with but i guess it was a lucky buy