# An End to Crime **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [December 19, 2002, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824 "2002-12-19T16:57:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![BZ00000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/47e85d/32.png) [@BZ00000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BZ00000)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 4:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/1 "2002-12-19T16:57:13Z")
We should do away with money. There should be only credit/debit cards. This way all transactions can be monitored. It will help with tax fraud, theft, and robbery. I am sure people will object on the basis that this is an invasion of our privacy. However, if they have nothing to hide then they have nothing to worry about. It will allow the government to track people who they suspect of having ill intentions to America. Think of it, when all transactions are tracked it will be very hard for a terrorist to operate in our country. I am sure there will still be a black-market, but as it becomes impossible to launder money this market will dry up. Also we need to have monitoring devices in every home, apartment, office, restaurant, etc. Sure this sounds like a Big Brother type of invasion of privacy, but is that really so bad. From what I can remember of that book the only really bad thing about that society was it was poor and lacked entertainment. People will be perfectly happy to monitored nonstop if they can have nice stuff and be entertained. Think of all the money that will be available after we end crime. ---
**Author:** ![Mighty\_Maximino](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e95f7d/32.png) [@Mighty\_Maximino](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mighty_Maximino)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/2 "2002-12-19T17:09:33Z")
Over my dead body. ---
**Author:** ![jeel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/71e660/32.png) [@jeel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jeel)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/3 "2002-12-19T17:13:00Z")
I could not tell if your post is tongue in cheek or not, but I have to disagree that this would end crime. People could still launder money. If there was no cash, private parties would still have to be able to pay eachother for goods and services. So, there would have to be a mechanism for doing so, and illegitimate purchases and transactions would be disguised as everyday reimbursements etc. Heck! It might even make it easier to launder money with this kind of system! ---
**Author:** ![BZ00000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/47e85d/32.png) [@BZ00000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BZ00000)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/4 "2002-12-19T17:16:27Z")
> [@](#): > > Heck! It might even make it easier to launder money with this kind of system! Not with the constant monitoring. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/5 "2002-12-19T17:16:49Z")
The end of crime? I don’t think it would stop people from sodomy in the states that still construe it as illegal. I don’t think it’d stop people from going 2 miles over the speed limit. It wouldn’t stop republicans from being elected by the US supreme court either. ---
**Author:** ![SuaSponte](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/67e7ee/32.png) [@SuaSponte](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SuaSponte)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/6 "2002-12-19T17:17:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BZ00000 \* > This way all transactions can be monitored. And why, exactly, would I want anyone to monitor, particularly the government, the tens of thousands of dollars I give to strippers each year? I’m being facetious, but the point is real. There are many, many things that people do with their money that are legal but embarrassing. Your concept represents a massive invasion of civil liberties. Sua ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/7 "2002-12-19T17:23:22Z")
And what happens when people outsource their credit-debit cards to Secret Swiss Bank Accounts? Not only can you not trace transactions, you can’t tax them. Exit govt. On second thought, let’s do it! ---
**Author:** ![BZ00000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/47e85d/32.png) [@BZ00000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BZ00000)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/8 "2002-12-19T17:25:19Z")
> [@](#): > > Your concept represents a massive invasion of civil liberties. People only talk of civil liberties, when they do something wrong these days. We have long past the days when the government was a destructive force to any true American. ---
**Author:** ![stpauler](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9d8465/32.png) [@stpauler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stpauler)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/9 "2002-12-19T17:27:06Z")
One other point, as for the book Big Brother (or as George Orwell affectionately called it, 1984), there were other problems such as disinformation being constantly be distributed to keep the war machine going. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/10 "2002-12-19T17:27:55Z")
> [@](#): > > Not with the constant monitoring. And how, exactly, do you intend for the government to monitor billions of transactions in the US alone every year? Not to menton the increased dangers of hacking and cracking. ---
**Author:** ![smiling\_bandit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@smiling\_bandit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smiling_bandit)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/11 "2002-12-19T17:28:57Z")
I always wondered if there ever even was a war going on in 1984… ---
**Author:** ![lionel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f9ae1b/32.png) [@lionel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lionel)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/12 "2002-12-19T17:47:29Z")
> [@](#): > > _from BZ00000_ > However, if they have nothing to hide then they have nothing to worry about. > [@](#): > > _from BZ00000_ > Sure this sounds like a Big Brother type of invasion of privacy, but is that really so bad. From what I can remember of that book the only really bad thing about that society was it was poor and lacked entertainment. You’re kidding, right? ---
**Author:** ![Lissa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/85f322/32.png) [@Lissa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lissa)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/13 "2002-12-19T17:59:26Z")
You’re forgetting the massive cost of installing credit-card machines in all buisnesses. I used to work at a tiny mom-and-pop convenience store, and we were instructed not to allow customers to charge purchases under $10, because the credit card companies charged a certain ammount per transaction regardless of the dollar amount. Charging a small purchase would eat up the profits in transaction charges. Buisnesses would have to raise prices to keep their profits if every purchase was a charge. Also, validating the card, and signing the reciept would add time to every transaction. Maybe just a few seconds, but in a high-volume business, this could really add up. Also, where WOULD the strippers wear the card swipers? ---
**Author:** ![In\_Conceivable](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/4bbf92/32.png) [@In\_Conceivable](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/In_Conceivable)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/14 "2002-12-19T18:02:06Z")
1. People do all kinds of things with their money which is legal but they would like to keep private. It is their right to do so. 2. Theft and robbery will occur but people will be stealing things and cards rather then cash. Have you ever had your credit or debt card stolen and then used? Lots of people have. 3. Hi :)pal 4. “Nothing to hide, Nothing to worry about” is one of the stupid reasons for allowing are privacy to be taken away. 5. Some crime might be stopped with would save some money, but the cost of monitoring all transactions would more then out way any money saved. ---
**Author:** ![SentientMeat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@SentientMeat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SentientMeat)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/15 "2002-12-19T18:35:57Z")
> [@](#): > > from BZ00000 > the only really bad thing …was it was poor and lacked entertainment. I think you might be referring to \* 1984 \*, the Van Halen album. Go and read the book again. \*\* bandit \*\* - yes, I too thought Eurasia was bombing its own populace. ---
**Author:** ![DocCathode](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doccathode/32/18773_2.png) [@DocCathode](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DocCathode)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/16 "2002-12-19T18:50:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BZ00000 \* > …\*\*However, if they have nothing to hide then they have nothing to worry about. \*\* > > Also we need to have monitoring devices in every home, apartment, office, restaurant, etc. Sure this sounds like a Big Brother type of invasion of privacy, but is that really so bad Bolding added okay BZ if this is the way you want it, you first. How much money have you spent on pornography in the past 12 months? List each item and its cost. How often do you buy junk food? What brand and size of underwear do you buy? Now, on to some home monitoring- Do you pick your nose? If yes, how often? How often do you do the following: Vacuum? Mop? Wash the walls? Windows? How often do you need to urinate? How often do you move your bowels? If I do not see answers to these questions, it follows from your logic that you are hiding some crime. ---
**Author:** ![Latro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/a87d85/32.png) [@Latro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Latro)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 6:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/17 "2002-12-19T18:56:54Z")
Oh will you stop the Eurasia bashing already. It’s getting soooooo stale. They’re the Good Guys, double plus good. Stop believeing that silly propaganda of yours. You never won that big battle last month, for that matter. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/18 "2002-12-19T19:10:59Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by BZ00000 \* > Also we need to have monitoring devices in every home, apartment, office, restaurant, etc. **Sure this sounds like a Big Brother type of invasion of privacy** , but is that really so bad. From what I can remember of that book the only really bad thing about that society was it was poor and lacked entertainment. People will be perfectly happy to monitored nonstop if they can have nice stuff and be entertained. No, actually, this is _specifically and exactly_ a Big Brother type of invasion of privacy, precisely as describe in the book. I think the main character would have been happy to have a little less monitoring if it meant Big Brother never would have known to strap a cage to his head and drop a rat into it, but maybe that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/19 "2002-12-19T19:12:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Latro \* > \*\*Oh will you stop the Eurasia bashing already. > It’s getting soooooo stale. > They’re the Good Guys, double plus good. > Stop believeing that silly propaganda of yours. > You never won that big battle last month, for that matter. \*\* No, sorry, that was _Brave New World._ We’re talking about 1984 here. Take some SOMA and try again. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [December 19, 2002, 7:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824/20 "2002-12-19T19:14:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by SentientMeat \* > \*\*I think you might be referring to \* 1984 \*, the Van Halen album. Go and read the book again. > \*\* WOW, Sentient!!! ROFL!!! And this is only my 2nd LOL post ever, so you know its funny 🙂 [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/an-end-to-crime/143824.md?page=2)