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Good point, in fact there's plenty of folks on the other side who would like to replace all these programs with a more efficient system (aka basic income).

by influx 8y ago

robdachshund 8y ago
I'm sure welfare for everyone will be great for the economy
pokk 8y ago
I think that is extremely unlikely. If you were to have a scale of the volatility of security where a zero is potentially being entirely on your own and a ten is a very modest utopia where everyone can perpetually live like a student then functioning universal basic income is probably an eight. Much of Europe today would be around a five, with the Nordic countries maybe a six. The US, being unique in many regards when it comes to developed countries, would today overall be a something like a three. Without even the most basic assistance it is probably a two. You don't just go from a two to an eight overnight. It is just so far from what exists today that it is a pretty safe bet that a functioning universal basic income system is never going to happen in the US.
- stcredzero 8y ago
  a zero is potentially being entirely on your own I met some people in Alaska who were trying to approximate this. a ten is a very modest utopia where everyone can perpetually live like a student I guess some people historically would see it as a utopia. One's perspective changes with age and life experience. Some would find it depressing.
  - pokk 8y ago
    > I guess some people historically would see it as a utopia. One's perspective changes with age and life experience. Some would find it depressing. Most people in the world, if not the US, spend at least five days a week working to have even far less then that. I would put a true utopia, with e.g. the good parts from unlimited free energy, at a hundred or more on that imaginary scale.
    - stcredzero 8y ago
      I would put a true utopia, with e.g. the good parts from unlimited free energy, at a hundred or more on that imaginary scale. Sure. I'll have that instead of the 8-ish student life.

Good point, in fact there's plenty of folks on the other side who would like to replace all these programs with a more efficient system (aka basic income).

by influx 8y ago

Good point, in fact there's plenty of folks on the other side who would like to replace all these programs with a more efficient system (aka basic income).

robdachshund 8y ago

I'm sure welfare for everyone will be great for the economy

pokk 8y ago

I think that is extremely unlikely. If you were to have a scale of the volatility of security where a zero is potentially being entirely on your own and a ten is a very modest utopia where everyone can perpetually live like a student then functioning universal basic income is probably an eight. Much of Europe today would be around a five, with the Nordic countries maybe a six. The US, being unique in many regards when it comes to developed countries, would today overall be a something like a three. Without even the most basic assistance it is probably a two. You don't just go from a two to an eight overnight. It is just so far from what exists today that it is a pretty safe bet that a functioning universal basic income system is never going to happen in the US.

stcredzero 8y ago
a zero is potentially being entirely on your own I met some people in Alaska who were trying to approximate this. a ten is a very modest utopia where everyone can perpetually live like a student I guess some people historically would see it as a utopia. One's perspective changes with age and life experience. Some would find it depressing.
- pokk 8y ago
  > I guess some people historically would see it as a utopia. One's perspective changes with age and life experience. Some would find it depressing. Most people in the world, if not the US, spend at least five days a week working to have even far less then that. I would put a true utopia, with e.g. the good parts from unlimited free energy, at a hundred or more on that imaginary scale.
  - stcredzero 8y ago
    I would put a true utopia, with e.g. the good parts from unlimited free energy, at a hundred or more on that imaginary scale. Sure. I'll have that instead of the 8-ish student life.