Wow; that's crazy. Well done walking away.
That said I hate cash; hate getting change etc. But likewise never use a credit card only debit card. Transferwise (now just Wise) are the best , multi currency and you get the interbank rates on any currency you spend in and can hold multiple currencies with no fees. But I do changed countries every few weeks so my case is not normal. But cash to me is non liquid; I have all this change in Eastern Caribbean Dollars which is essentially useless now I am back in St Martin which uses Euro and USD.
Yeah, we have to vote with our feet more often I think. People have a lot of power but tend never to use it...Just run their mouths off on social media...Don't like the rising cost of products? DON'T BUY THEM they'll drop. But nope...They buy. Not me though, clearly.
I don't carry much cash around day to day but sometimes I do and when I want to use it I feel I have the right...It's still legal tender in Australia right? My issue is cash reserves I hold, metals too as one day they'll be cash. No ability spend it means it needs to go into the bank and...Well, you know.