61–70 of 87 posts
How about a "pseudo UBI" that only pays for basic necessities like rent, utilities, groceries and basic healthcare? Any kind of a universal safety net would allow human civilization as a whole to chill out a bit, and could also reduce various petty scams and/or the damage they cause to people.
The UK is doing that
>UBI-related experiments consistently find evidence that no participant responds to UBI experiments by dropping out of the labor force. I'm not familiar with the details of these experiments but the first thing that strikes me is that this cannot be experimentally tested without guaranteeing participants a lifetime of UBI. They don't drop out of the labor force because they know it's temporary. You wouldn't quit your…
Buddy I’ve seen people quit jobs over way pettier things without UBI.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
That's already what UBI is.
I mean as opposed to just handing out cash, that some critics fear people would just blow on hookers and blow.
B) repeated studies and measurements have shown that attempting to police it just doesn't do anything.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I mean as opposed to just handing out cash, that some critics fear people would just blow on hookers and blow.
A) attempting to police that is extremely, extremely expensive not to mention absolutely chockful of corruption and abuse B) repeated studies and measurements have shown that attempting to police it just doesn't do anything.
> Issue special debit cards for UBI
> Issue special machines/payment processors for those cards to registered merchants, landlords, and utility and healthcare providers.
How about a "pseudo UBI" that only pays for basic necessities like rent, utilities, groceries and basic healthcare? Any kind of a universal safety net would allow human civilization as a whole to chill out a bit, and could also reduce various petty scams and/or the damage they cause to people.
In 2025, the US Federal government pulled in a a grand total of $5.16 trillion in revenue. Giving all 258 million adult US citizens $1000 a month totals to $3.096 trillion per year. Giving them all $2000 a month totals to $6.192 trillion per year - more than all US tax revenue from all sources combined. Of course, we already have a $1.7 trillion deficit, with $38 trillion and counting in debt without the UBI, and I a…
The problem that UBI will never get over is the fact that it just smells like something suspicious. It smells like something capitalists can exploit. Landlords and other oligopolistic goods-sellers with a lot of leverage and cartel-like dynamics can now count on a base income for everyone. I don’t see how low income housing doesn’t instantly becomes more expensive across the board, with profits funneled to establishe…
I think this goes to something I’ve been seeing a lot of lately. People will hold an opinion for emotional reasons instead of logical reasons, and those speaking to them will get frustrated trying to “logic” them out of it (evidence, studies, facts, etc). It doesn’t work because they came to the opinion first and veneered it with logic afterwards. If you tear down the logic, the emotional substructure is still there.…
I had a friend who was a Christian evangelist to cult members. He said that they would be a cult member as long as they wanted to be a cult member. The only way was to move them to the place where they didn't want to be in the cult anymore. The way he did it was to preach their cult's doctrine to them. "OK, according to your church's teaching, here's the requirements for you to be saved. How are you doing? Are you go…
Who will clean the toilets under UBI? I'm interested in answers that mostly preserve the status quo, and in answers that propose more radical shifts.
I think this goes to something I’ve been seeing a lot of lately. People will hold an opinion for emotional reasons instead of logical reasons, and those speaking to them will get frustrated trying to “logic” them out of it (evidence, studies, facts, etc). It doesn’t work because they came to the opinion first and veneered it with logic afterwards. If you tear down the logic, the emotional substructure is still there.…
One can be dispassionate and distant from one’s beliefs and still difficult to convince, because we all harbor some forms of _private reasoning_ about how the world works. If I have strong personal beliefs, they may be gathered from experience of decades. Not going to easily change my world view.
Add maybe a few _false beliefs_ for the xtra complication? (Not even considering the paradox of lying).
Finally, the emotional spin appears as _cynical reasoning_, that toxic mix of anger and resentment. The logic-warrior who ventures here is brave indeed.