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Universal Basic Income?

Posted by rbroberg 7 years, 10 months ago to Government
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We have seen several reasons why people believe UBI is a good idea, which generally consist of bad ideas. We have also seen several reasons why people believe UBI is a bad idea, which generally consist of worse ideas.

The argument is that due to technological advances, people become obsolete to the machine (now called automation) and therefore a universal basic income is required to maintain the population group whose skills become obsolete due to this evolution.

The arguments for it are not worth your time. The arguments against it range from "there will be an increase in technological jobs" to "universal basic income incentives more people not to work". Well, these are excellent deductions, but do the opposite of justifying an argument against UBI. Why? Because they stem from the same pragmatist base as the arguments for. Would it be acceptable to provide an income to people if there were not an increase in technological jobs, but, rather, sales jobs? Would it be acceptable to provide income to people if the government required them to work on some government projects in order to receive the benefits?

The root of the argument against universal basic income has to come from a moral basis, not a pragmatic one. We know it is wrong for those who work to create, design, build, maintain, and manage automation to support those who contribute nothing. We know it is wrong for those who work to support those who negate the pride of productive work. There is no need to delve into a "climate model" of social behavior when the writing is on the wall; universal basic income is just another altruist gag intended to punish those who choose to innovate and succeed.


All Comments

  • Posted by Owlsrayne 7 years, 10 months ago
    Nat Geo demonstrated UBI in their series Year Million. The premise is that AI will take over so many human industrial and service functions that as stated here there won't be any jobs. Though in the latest episode those people will be needed to colonize and mine the the solar system. Their series is interesting but still progressive bent. It is sad that Nat Geo has gone that way. I remember went they weren't bent in that direction.
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  • Posted by term2 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Yes. The end game is Venezuela. It's not being publicized nearly enough. It's ayn rand's atlas shrugged in real life
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  • Posted by ewv 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    It also brings on more demagoguery for more government to provide for "needs" it can't and doesn't provide for in an immoral scheme that doesn't work. It never ends and people never stop falling for it. It's always more government force to solve problems caused by government force. But you know that.
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  • Posted by term2 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I would agree that government promising goods it can't deliver brings on black markets for sure
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  • Posted by ewv 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Like in the Soviet Union? Government "guarantees" made a black market necessary to survive.
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  • Posted by term2 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    I meant if I have the government collect what I need at gunpoint from other people. There is no need to "trade"
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  • Posted by ewv 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    That doesn't eliminate the need for trade, it only creates black markets.
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  • Posted by term2 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Except of course when the government takes from others so we don't need to trade values with them
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  • Posted by CircuitGuy 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    "would be up to each of us to find things to do iof value to others"
    Yes. I think that's true now, in the future, and throughout history.
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  • Posted by chad 7 years, 10 months ago
    Every time some new invention promises to eliminate the need for work someone has to build and supply that invention. Having farms automated and eliminating most of the farmers did not result in their deaths and destruction, it freed them up to invent and build new tools and products which improved the lives of everyone. If you all want a job eliminate all tools and devices and figure out how to grow your own crops, make your clothes, build your house. It will require all of your time and you will have far less.
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  • Posted by term2 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    No argument about guaranteeing human rights being a very good thing. Assuming that , it should be that the success of a person depends on. The person
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  • Posted by term2 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    It would be up to each of us to find things to do iof value to others when I got displaced by cheaper or better robots I couldn't compete with
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  • Posted by term2 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Absolutely. My point is that within that framework. The smartest, most ambitious, most talented people will achieve greater degrees of success, and THAT is ok
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  • Posted by ewv 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    Ayn Rand was not a social Darwinian advocating "survival of the strongest". Living a life of reason and respecting the rights of others in civilization is a requirement for every individual to live.
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  • Posted by Herb7734 7 years, 10 months ago
    Easy to see that nothing much is known of economics. The libs continue to set economic disaster going and then cry out as it starts destroying them, blaming it on everyone besides themselves.
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  • Posted by $ jdg 7 years, 10 months ago in reply to this comment.
    That sounds like an argument for abolishing government. That's what we'd have if we did, for sure, except that the "fittest" may not exactly be the strongest. Good people skills, for instance, will help a lot in terms of finding others with whom you can form a defensible household.
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