₹500 in cash hurts. ₹500 on screen doesn’t, and that’s exactly how they want it

Here’s a weird truth: ₹500 is not always ₹500.
At least, not to your brain.

When you hand over a crisp ₹500 note, your brain winces. There’s a small sting, a flicker of regret. But when you scan a QR code or double-tap to pay on UPI, the pain almost vanishes. It feels painless, frictionless, even satisfying.