This week I decided to check in on my retirement policy and see how it's doing.
After all with the stock markets being so volatile our policies could fluctuate drastically.
These are strange times so keeping an eye on those finances makes sense - hence I made contact with my policy provider.
Going through Correct Channels
First I tried to log in to the online system. To my surprise it doesn't accept my login credentials and trying to request a password reset doesn't work.
Then I tried calling the call center and I got an even bigger surprise - the call center is not operational and an automated voice directs me to an email.
Then I tried sending an email to which I still haven't received a response.
Finally I take to Twitter and complain. The company comes back to me asking me to send them a Direct Message which I do and I get this back in return.
Boil it Down
To recap, I try to access my policy via all correct channels and I'm blocked. The only response I get is over Twitter and the company expects that I'll discuss my personal finance over Twitter.
I'm left wondering how safe my money is.
I'm wondering why I can't immediately access information about what I own.
Why does a financial institution have so much power over what is mine?
History
During the 2013 Cyprus Financial Crisis depositors in Cypriot banks had 47.5% of their savings taken by the government and the banks. See here.
During the 1930s the US government seized it's citizens gold under the United States Gold Reserve Act. See that here.
And right now Lebanon is considering a depositor bail-in where the banks seize certain accounts to keep their banks from failing. This is because the Lebanese currency is collapsing currently. See here and here.
Cryptocurrency
This makes a very strong case for Cryptocurrency.
I will go ahead and say I don't have any Cryptocurrency, and if I did I lost the keys a long time ago.
But it does highlight that both governments and banks can take what is rightfully yours.
Our property rights don't really matter under certain conditions of a crisis or pandemic or wars -and I suspect these will happen more and more. What you have got can be taken away from you.
Cryptocurrency on the other hand gives us a means to control what is ours.
Cryptocurrency is about economic sovereignty, privacy, censorship resistance and a host of other things that are important in a free and fair society.
I am someone who believes in Freedom. To be free we must perform and the actions of freedom, and we must have the tools of Freedom.
In a world where our rights are continually being infringed upon, it's becoming unmistakably clear that Cryptocurrency will be one of those tools of Freedom.
Photo by fran hogan on Unsplash
I tried sending an email to which I still haven't received a response