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I understand the stigma against people "wasting their time" by playing video games all day. I don't play many games myself, and spend most of time on creative h
by nathan_f77 11y ago
I understand the stigma against people "wasting their time" by playing video games all day. I don't play many games myself, and spend most of time on creative hobbies like music and photography. Actually that's a lie, I spend a lot of time reading Reddit. But apart from Reddit, I do creative things.
When I was a kid, I used to ask why poor people don't just start a business, or go out and get a better job? That was before I understood the way that poverty traps people in a cycle. And the fact that we don't all possess the capacity to become entrepreneurs and creative thinkers.
I think a basic income is most important for the uncreative people. The people who don't really have any talents, and never had any big aspirations. The 50% of all people who have a below-average IQ. Maybe they can't think of something productive to do, but in a post-scarcity economy, why should they need to? When the whole farm-to-table pipeline is completely run by autonomous machinery, then I think there's nothing wrong with just relaxing and enjoying life.
I'm worried that this YC research program might end up making the wrong conclusions, if the results are only analyzed by startup people who are hell-bent on "changing the world" and being ultra-productive all the time. So what if a recipient just chills out all day, goes for walks, swims at the beach, takes some photos, and plays some video games. I hope they wouldn't call that a failed experiment.