YC set to launch one-year minimum income pilot project to figure out logistics
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Re: YC set to launch one-year minimum income pilot project to figure out logistics
#2YC blog post here
http://blog.ycombinator.com/moving-forward-on-basic-income
Re: YC set to launch one-year minimum income pilot project to figure out logistics
#3Would individuals be restricted from using any government social welfare programs during this period? Many advocates propose funding basic income by disbanding current safety nets.
If recipients are living in public housing, collecting food stamps, accepting federal student loans, or any other form of indirect government aid, then it skews the results.
Re: YC set to launch one-year minimum income pilot project to figure out logistics
#4> "Overall the idea is to take money we make from YC [and], rather than all of the partners cashing out... putting it into research," Krisiloff told Ars. "I think that there’s a culture at YC that just making money isn’t that interesting."
I do understand the intended meaning of that sentence, and clearly it's more than admirable that these people are putting their money where their mouth is, but I really wish SV people would stop talking this way as it's tone deaf and counterproductive.
Several billion for them and a million and a half for a few people in Oakland implies that they do still find money somewhat interesting.
Re: YC set to launch one-year minimum income pilot project to figure out logistics
#5I liked it better when Y Combinator was giving this kind of money[1] out to founders who could use it to build a business. Old text: "In 2005, Y Combinator developed a new model of startup funding. Twice a year we invest a small amount of money (average $18k) in a large number of startups (currently 82)" I note that $2k/month for 12 months is $24k, so that's more than their old investment size.
Meanwhile, now, it's calling its investments of $120K a "small amount of money"[2], while calling this kind of money ($24K for a year) a basic "income" and not actually treating it as an investment. This bothers me.
[1] http://web.archive.org/web/20120614131411/http://ycombinator...
Re: YC set to launch one-year minimum income pilot project to figure out logistics
#6> "Overall the idea is to take money we make from YC [and], rather than all of the partners cashing out... putting it into research," Krisiloff told Ars. "I think that there’s a culture at YC that just making money isn’t that interesting." I do understand the intended meaning of that sentence, and clearly it's more than admirable that these people are putting their money where their mouth is, but I really wish SV peo…
Indeed, and I think it's particularly necessary for them to improve the messaging around basic income in order for it to be politically successful.
Re: YC set to launch one-year minimum income pilot project to figure out logistics
#7Would individuals be restricted from using any government social welfare programs during this period? Many advocates propose funding basic income by disbanding current safety nets. If recipients are living in public housing, collecting food stamps, accepting federal student loans, or any other form of indirect government aid, then it skews the results.
It might skew it, but YC is probably trying to answer a more fundamental question. If people are provided a minimum lifestyle what will they do? I don't think anyone really knows if it will be a golden age of entrepreneurs and self improvement. Or if people will just sit on the couch, have kids till they can't afford them, become addicted to drugs.
Re: YC set to launch one-year minimum income pilot project to figure out logistics
#8One aspect that I've not heard discussed is the likelihood that a portion of those being granted a basic income will be exploited for their new-found cash. Has this been considered at YC and if so, what are their approaches to minimizing it?
Re: YC set to launch one-year minimum income pilot project to figure out logistics
#9One year is too limited in my opinion. If you want to see what people will do with basic income, you have to give them the feeling the money is near infinite. One year looks to me its not enough to drop everything, as you will know it will soon come to an end. The paychological barrier for me would be at least 5+ years.
Then again if I know it will come to an end in xx years, I will feel more inclined to work harder. It's like a deadline.
Re: YC set to launch one-year minimum income pilot project to figure out logistics
#10I'm very interested to see the overall outcome of this research. While the intentions are good, my initial expectations of this are not very high. I look forward to be proven wrong.