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> "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 thi

by CPLX 10y ago

> "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.

chickenfries 10y ago
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.
- tim333 10y ago
  On the other hand it allows YC to experiment and do stuff the politicians couldn't get away with. I quite like that they can say what they think rather than editing it to be politically appealing.
  - chickenfries 10y ago
    Who do you think could implement a universal basic income, besides a government? Implementing a UBI at a national level would be a monumental political task. The politics matter, even at this stage.
    - stale2002 10y ago
      Studying the effects of something is different from trying to implement something. These are 2, completely separate issues. Perhaps once this research is done, other people who are more skilled at solving political problems, will take this research and do something useful with it. UBI isn't something that is going to be done over night. Just look at the the comments here saying that the study won't 'really' measure the effects of UBI unless it is done for decades. If someone doesn't start the research now, it won't be ready by the time UBI is actually politically feasible.
  - CPLX 10y ago
    A concept like universal basic income is 100% thoroughly a political concept in every respect. There's no such thing as a successful program that ignores the aspect of its political appeal.
loceng 10y ago
This experimenting may give them insight into what life and how behaviours present themselves when people are being supported, and then give them a heads-up knowing where people are then willing to spend their cash - on necessities as well as extra spending money (if they are given it). That's invaluable data and if they can use profits from their ecosystem to support a growing community/ecosystem that supports this, and then discover or create increasing productivity within that community then the model could replicate and be adopted by wider regions. In reality it does mean giving away a % of earnings to the masses - like a tax, however if that % is less than what people pay on average currently in taxes to government, and the productivity level is higher - then it should naturally compete and takeover (save status quo systems trying to block and cause friction).
- tim333 10y ago
  >In reality it does mean giving away a % of earnings Not necessarily. Part of the reason for this research is figuring what to do if the robots replace us for the most part. In that situation wages would likely be low and a lot of the value would move to the market cap of the leading tech stocks that controlled things. The government could tax that, as cgt or wealth tax or similar, rather than wages.
  - loceng 10y ago
    Right, thanks for clarifying - I had meant earnings of a company as well (or any task that gets done and has a 'profit' associated); perhaps earnings wasn't an appropriate word to for me to use.
mozumder 10y ago
I'm just hoping someone wins a $1 bet - the usual amount - at the end of this experiment.
- rexreed 10y ago
  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjkdynBFHuQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjkdynBFHuQ and actually, I've always, always loved this scene since I was a kid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLySXTIBS3c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLySXTIBS3c - takes some thinking to learn how the markets were cornered and how they made all that money shorting OJ commodities. But your point here is well taken - are these rich folks placing bets and toying with poor folks? Hmm.
  - mozumder 10y ago
    Just too many good scenes in the movie...

by CPLX 10y ago

chickenfries 10y ago

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.

tim333 10y ago
On the other hand it allows YC to experiment and do stuff the politicians couldn't get away with. I quite like that they can say what they think rather than editing it to be politically appealing.
- chickenfries 10y ago
  Who do you think could implement a universal basic income, besides a government? Implementing a UBI at a national level would be a monumental political task. The politics matter, even at this stage.
  - stale2002 10y ago
    Studying the effects of something is different from trying to implement something. These are 2, completely separate issues. Perhaps once this research is done, other people who are more skilled at solving political problems, will take this research and do something useful with it. UBI isn't something that is going to be done over night. Just look at the the comments here saying that the study won't 'really' measure the effects of UBI unless it is done for decades. If someone doesn't start the research now, it won't be ready by the time UBI is actually politically feasible.
- CPLX 10y ago
  A concept like universal basic income is 100% thoroughly a political concept in every respect. There's no such thing as a successful program that ignores the aspect of its political appeal.

loceng 10y ago

This experimenting may give them insight into what life and how behaviours present themselves when people are being supported, and then give them a heads-up knowing where people are then willing to spend their cash - on necessities as well as extra spending money (if they are given it). That's invaluable data and if they can use profits from their ecosystem to support a growing community/ecosystem that supports this, and then discover or create increasing productivity within that community then the model could replicate and be adopted by wider regions. In reality it does mean giving away a % of earnings to the masses - like a tax, however if that % is less than what people pay on average currently in taxes to government, and the productivity level is higher - then it should naturally compete and takeover (save status quo systems trying to block and cause friction).

tim333 10y ago
>In reality it does mean giving away a % of earnings Not necessarily. Part of the reason for this research is figuring what to do if the robots replace us for the most part. In that situation wages would likely be low and a lot of the value would move to the market cap of the leading tech stocks that controlled things. The government could tax that, as cgt or wealth tax or similar, rather than wages.
- loceng 10y ago
  Right, thanks for clarifying - I had meant earnings of a company as well (or any task that gets done and has a 'profit' associated); perhaps earnings wasn't an appropriate word to for me to use.

mozumder 10y ago

I'm just hoping someone wins a $1 bet - the usual amount - at the end of this experiment.

rexreed 10y ago
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjkdynBFHuQ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wjkdynBFHuQ and actually, I've always, always loved this scene since I was a kid: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLySXTIBS3c https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RLySXTIBS3c - takes some thinking to learn how the markets were cornered and how they made all that money shorting OJ commodities. But your point here is well taken - are these rich folks placing bets and toying with poor folks? Hmm.
- mozumder 10y ago
  Just too many good scenes in the movie...