As I note in the book’s introduction, think of this book as a darker yin to contrast with a brighter yang. The book fills in the shadow side of their narratives, serving as a contrast to rebalance them. I appreciate the enthusiasm of many people who work within those industries, but all too often their takes are given far too much airtime. It provides contrast, and accepts contradiction : the book might be critical, but the point isn’t to slam-dunk digital money enthusiasts, fintech startups or crypto hopefuls, or to reject their innovations. Finally, it sets all of this within an ecological, social and - dare I say - spiritual context. It doesn’t only show how major monetary innovations and movements relate to each other, but also sets that in the context of the vortex of global corporate capitalism and geopolitics. It contextualises : the book puts things in their place. It also cuts through the often pseudo-revolutionary language that surrounds the crypto world, and gives a realistic assessment of what we can and cannot expect of crypto-tokens. It’s contrarian : the book cuts through the innovation-speak that surrounds financial technology, and provides an account of why we should protect the unsexy physical cash system. I’m not anti-tech, but I’m not easily impressed by the unbalanced claims made by many technology movements. ![]() It also doesn’t hype up crypto-currency (let’s face it - there are now hundreds of books doing that). It’s critical : it doesn’t romanticise digital money and fintech, and shows why the narratives of empowerment-through-technology have a dark side. It distills the complex architecture of money into clear descriptions that a non-expert reader can understand. It’s clear : it is hard to write about global monetary systems in a simple way, but the book does that. ![]() I’d really love it if ALL of you could order Cloudmoney, so here are five reasons why I think you will value it, all beginning with C. Diving beneath the surface of the global financial system, Brett Scott uncovers a long-established lobbying infrastructure waging a covert war on cash, as banking and tech companies promote a cashless society under the banner of progress.įrom marketing strategies against cash, to the weaponization of Covid-19 to advance fintech platforms, and the cryptocurrency rebels and fringe groups pushing back, Cloudmoney takes us to the frontlines of a war for our wallets that is also about our freedom. Who benefits from a cashless society and who gets left behind? Is the end of cash the end of true privacy? And is a cashless future closer than we think?Ĭloudmoney tells a revelatory story about the fusion of big finance and tech, which requires physical cash to be replaced by digital money or 'cloudmoney'. But what we're told is natural and inevitable is actually the work of powerful interests: the great battle of our time is for ownership of the digital footprints that make up our lives. ![]() And the reach of corporations into our lives via cards and apps has never been greater. ![]() Here is the official description of the book… Cards seem convenient, and crypto seems cool, but in Cloudmoney I lay out the case for why the cash system is more crucial than ever, and why it needs to be protected.
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