I see things a whole lot different than the 70s. I remember that time and it’s nothing like it is for today, in terms of cash. The internet and the web made a real big difference there, too.
Within a year, all the cards that people use are going to a sign-less and pin-less transaction and all the vendors will be changing their machines. It will be a slide in and out, and the transaction is done, without any further action on your part.
No, things are way, way different now.
The difference from the 70s is 3 steps, fairly sizable steps but still 3 steps: credit cards became more ubiquitous, debit cards were invented, e-commerce became a thing. Each of these moved us away from cash some, but none of them are really good for the things I listed previously.
No way we’re going sign-less and pin-less within a year. You’re forgetting it’s a big country, phase in take longer than that, and there’s the problem of trust. With situations like what happened at Target people want MORE security on their cards not less. There’s a reason that Visa commercial is like 5 years old and still hasn’t happened.