The rise and fall of cardholders, and the birth of thingholders speak to great historical cycles.
In other words, how monetisation-led digitisation will lead us right back to where we started (as far as wallets go, anyhow).
THE BEGINNINGS OF WALLETS
History doesn’t repeat itself, but it does rhyme.
First came the hunter-gathering societies where trade was conducted in kind, leading the first 'wallets' to be little more than bags that could hold essential and tradeable goods.
Thousands of years later sprung the first trade colonists like the Phoenicians and Empires like Rome, where a centralised authority created coinage accepted far beyond the Imperial borders.
This was the first wallet revolution – monetisation led us from the original ‘thingholders’ (sacks and bags) to coin pouches.
As trade was administered further from home and capital investments accumulated for ever-greater RoI – spurred by Europe’s colonial adventurisms in the Renaissance – paper money (exchangeable for coins with intrinsic value) came into existence.
Physical trade and its concomitant accumulation of capital spurred Western industrialisation and technological innovation. By the late 20th century, currency was increasingly transacted digitally.
This union of abundant capital and technological innovation created the credit and debit cards and later, the contactless chip.
Both spurred the abandonment of physical cash in most Western societies by the early 21st century.
THE RISE OF CARDHOLDERS
Remember that exciting time when cardholders became a thing around 2015?
I do.
The rise of contactless payments meant men were sickened by the pocket-space-engorging demands of traditional bifold wallets.
At one point, everyone from your wife’s boyfriend to your neighbour’s enterprising dog seemed to be launching their own slim cardholder.
But all good things come to an end.
THE FALL OF CARDHOLDERS
Cardholders will fall as the digitisation of currency and tech innovation which birthed them will inevitably lead to card digitisation.
And this digitisation is coming for credit cards and identity cards as well.
Could these cardholders remain in a purely backup function – carrying cards ‘just in case’ consumer's phones die?
We doubt it.
The centrality of the modern-day phone, its increasing battery life, the prevalence of charging stations, mean cardholders will increasingly face a smaller market.
This leaves cardholders in a dilemma. Because the digitization hand that fed them seems ready to eat their lunch.
RISE OF THE THINGHOLDER
There is a fortunate salvation for those dumb, enterprising self-immolators who have ventured into the male accessories space (like us).
That’s because men will always be obliged to carry plenty of small things around – beyond their flaccid appendages - even for a simple night out.
And our consumerist society means this list is only getting larger (unlike male appendages):
- Airpods.
- House keys.
- A dodgy sack of illicit goods.
- A small bottle or stick of perfume.
- A condom or two.
And unlike every other portability solution that screams either ‘GAY’ or ‘GANGSTER’, a wallet is perfectly acceptable territory for most hetero-normie men.
Wallets will thus re-evolve into micro sacks, ‘thingholders’ that are pocket-sized but still large enough to hold all the daily essentials.
Though trade, unlike our ancestors, will take place outside of our wallets, and will be conducted in digital fashion.
ABOUT US
At CLSFYD, we’re excited to see where this knowledge takes us.
Especially because we’re stupid enough to not only commit to releasing NEW products that do not exist.
We’re also committed to making products that ensure your private needs remain CLASSIFIED.
Follow us if you’re interested on Instagram @clsfyd or sign up to our newsletter
