4 ms·

Elon Musk says people should get a basic income once robots take their jobs

5 points by teslacar 10y ago

CarolineW 10y ago
This is a well-known opinion from Mr Musk, and the story has been submitted many times, some with significant discussion. In case you're interested in what HN "thinks" it might be worth reading some of them. Of course, these are quite old now, so if you have anything to add you'll have to do it here. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12884477 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12884477 (31 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13150173 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13150173 (16 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13139261 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13139261 (11 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12890376 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12890376 (5 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13674967 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13674967 (1 comment) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13644567 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13644567 (1 comment) Other submissions don't have any comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13678268 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13678268 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13677450 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13677450 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13637950 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13637950 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12884990 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12884990
mindcrime 10y ago
This is scary as fuck when you think about it. Why? Because the idea of a UBI basically pre-supposes some sort of entity that does something like collecting taxes and then taking responsibility for divvying things up to provide the basic income. Call it "government" or what you will. Then look at how corrupt our government is now. Now think about what happens when your very survival depends on that government divvying up the spoils and doing the right thing. Do the math. Corruption will become far more pronounced than it is now and most of us will be forced to survive on $2 / day, while the elites live larger than ever. You think income inequality is a problem now? It'll only get worse once (and if) technological unemployment puts all (or most) humans out of work. A world where you can't sustain yourself by creating value through some independent initiative / effort is probably going to be a very ugly world.
tired_man 10y ago
Mick Resnick's "Feelies" is based around future society where this has happened.

5 points by teslacar 10y ago

This is a well-known opinion from Mr Musk, and the story has been submitted many times, some with significant discussion. In case you're interested in what HN "thinks" it might be worth reading some of them. Of course, these are quite old now, so if you have anything to add you'll have to do it here. https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12884477 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12884477 (31 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13150173 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13150173 (16 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13139261 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13139261 (11 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12890376 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12890376 (5 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13674967 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13674967 (1 comment) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13644567 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13644567 (1 comment) Other submissions don't have any comments: https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13678268 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13678268 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13677450 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13677450 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13637950 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=13637950 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12884990 https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=12884990

mindcrime 10y ago

This is scary as fuck when you think about it. Why? Because the idea of a UBI basically pre-supposes some sort of entity that does something like collecting taxes and then taking responsibility for divvying things up to provide the basic income. Call it "government" or what you will. Then look at how corrupt our government is now. Now think about what happens when your very survival depends on that government divvying up the spoils and doing the right thing. Do the math. Corruption will become far more pronounced than it is now and most of us will be forced to survive on $2 / day, while the elites live larger than ever. You think income inequality is a problem now? It'll only get worse once (and if) technological unemployment puts all (or most) humans out of work. A world where you can't sustain yourself by creating value through some independent initiative / effort is probably going to be a very ugly world.

tired_man 10y ago

Mick Resnick's "Feelies" is based around future society where this has happened.