Quote:
Originally Posted by synth_floyd
The concept behind UBI is that as a modern society there is so much productivity and wealth being created and yet the benefits are mostly going to the top x%. So we take some of that excess wealth and distribute it evenly to everybody. Everyone gets cut a check of say, $1k per month.
As a society do we really want to incentivize people to work unproductive jobs just so they can pay the bills? Fast food jobs, cashier jobs, manufacturing jobs, etc. People who do these jobs are essentially wasting their time because there are or will be robots or automated systems which will do the same thing but cheaper and more efficient. How much wasted human potential is there because of people worrying about paying rent and working useless jobs? People could be starting their own businesses, create art, work a job that they WANT to do, rather than one they have to do, or they could do whatever they wanted. We're not at that point yet where robots and computers can do all these low skilled jobs but we are likely to approach it in the near future.
That's kind of the futurist view, but due to historical and social views regarding labour and welfare, I don't see that realistically happening anytime soon. Maybe if robots really do take all the jobs and there is another great depression and white people are rioting in the streets it will motivate people to think differently.
If I'm handicapping the path towards UBI:
Gradual, thoughtful progression towards UBI +3000
Blood in streets, rioting, etc -6000
I mean you already have billionaires spending the majority of their free time trying to figure out how they can rip healthcare from poor people. That doesn't exactly provide a sense of optimism.