Curious question - are you for or against Universal Basic Income?
I’ve had several conversations recently where people that would benefit from UBI seem to be strongly against it.
I’m wondering whether I don’t get it or they don’t get it?
The most common answer is “well no one will want to work anymore”; but I don’t think that’s true! It’s universal basic income! If people want extra they would have to work to get it.
To clarify my understandings:
I think it’s a fantastic idea, you’re basically just defining the cash level a human needs to live comfortably. Everyone then gets that whether you work or not. It’s a minimum human right.
It has to be enough to pay for everything you need; accommodation, food, communication, health, etc.
It’s BASIC, and everyone gets the SAME, no matter what (yes, even the millionaires and the college leavers!).
You can then delete the demoralisation and complexity of “benefits”, and people making a decision whether another human is worthy of a little extra “benefit”. (This alone would save tons of “false jobs” where humans are set against other humans!)
If people want more than the basic which lets face it, most able people would… then get a job-
Jobs still reward with cash in just the same way, it’s just that you are going above the basic.
I might want a bigger tv than what basic would afford, I might want a fish tank, a car. I might want a holiday abroad far away, etc.
We waffle on about basic human rights, but don’t provide them as they cost, immediately plunging some people into stressful situations. UBI for me puts a cash value on it, and provides those “basic human rights” to all…
What are your thoughts on a universal basic income? Is your experience similar?