I think it's important to consider the alternative. In Zimbabwe, you could lose a significant percentage of your cash's value if you delay a purchase. Taking a

I think it's important to consider the alternative. In Zimbabwe, you could lose a significant percentage of your cash's value if you delay a purchase. Taking a risk that the other side of the transaction might not be as big of a problem if you can look at their account balance before the transaction begins. Sure, you risk getting caught in a double-spend that is rejected from the blockchain, but if the alternative is to hold onto cash or to lose out on a transaction in a tough economy, you might be willing to take on that risk.