Not so sure. Most territories don’t have a roadway system even close to what’s in the West, nor their own vehicles.
They have to use public transportation that is more and more surveilled. Try to use a simple city bus in Dubai for example and pay with fiat. There’s not even such an option. And that’s a place where fiat paper is still used a lot and relatively permissive in general.
Come to China for a visit - a large percentage of people in the world. See how often you can pay routine expenses with paper fiat. CBDC is working there, and it’s only the beginning.
Try to use tor, unapproved encrypted messengers, or even some VPNs in such territories.
Even what he defines as slavery is rather subjective and debatable.
To me it means being unable to leave its owner’s territory - including digitally - without permission , or having any amount of my income confiscated just for working there.
Being unable to use certain apps, sites, or avoid constant blanket digital and physical surveillance is the digital extension. That’s more and more common.
Whatever “rights” people think they have are illusory and only exist as long as the individual keeps paying the territorial owners and doesn’t threaten their power or income stream.
Otherwise, owners immediately lower the“rights” below those of chattel, even in so called democracies.
As you know, we’re on the brink of a global income tax in many territories and some sheeple have already been subject to that for generations.
I think that writer just has a high tolerance for being told what to do and forced into the free (dark) markets, which is the common mindset worldwide.