I think one of the most astounding things that is happening over this period of time is the new normals that seem to be established themselves everywhere in our life. One of those new “normal” is paying for things. Whether I'm at the market, quick shopping Mart kind of place or anywhere that currency is exchanged I'm getting a little reticent to pull out my wallet and start paying cash only to be told by the cashier that the establishment no longer taking cash or if you're going to pay cash you have to pay the cash but not expect any change in return.. At first it was explained to me that because of the coin shortage going on across America people are being encouraged to use their “plastic”. I guess I really don't mind paying for everything with my charge card are my credit card I just don't understand why. A couple of cashiers have explained to me that there is a coin shortage which they tried to blame on the covid thing. I wonder if people are holding the change but why would they do so? I myself hoard quarters. I do not do so mischievously I just want make sure I have enough change to wash my clothes once a week. I could go on a rant about how pissed off I am at the owner of the washing machines (it's a private contractor at the apartments here) which has machines set to just receive quarters in their coin drops. No nickels or dimes Allowing the user to purchase 10 minute extensions on their drying capability. No, if the person driving the clothes which are just a little bit damp that person has to buy a whole new cycle at three quarters. I don't mind this ripoff too much it just seems a pity. Having to pay the extra coins as well as having to hang around for at least 30 more minutes while the dryer works through its cycle. I also wonder sometimes if the rationale for cordless economy is to cut the probability of spreading the virus by exchanging money on which the virus might be lurking. Kandahar's me to wrap my mind around this excuse but I can see the rationale. I would just rather than come right out and say it as opposed to the silly coin shortage excuse.
The constant reader knows that I have a particular bent toward conspiratorial thinking. I would not be surprised if a lot of what is happening in our current economy is directed at subtly pushing the population of the country into a cashless economy. If this is the case we are really on the verge of diving into the future. Everything is paid for through technology are virtuality. In one of the better scenes from the Star Trek movie The Voyage Home Where the Enterprise travels to 1980 America's in search of a whale. Kirk informs his female host that they don't use currency in the 21st century making the young nautical researcher having to pay the bill for pizza herself. We are there. It's crazy how reality sometimes formed from fiction. Cell phone watches just like Dick Tracy from the early 30s, cell phones are almost exactly like communicator devices the Star Trek crew uses especially the flip phone. I'm sure the next 20 years will be looking at transporting ourselves from point A to point B And just beaming ourselves all around… All this of course is if we can just skip past this current “bump in the road” in secret shift to how we pay our bills…
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