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I think it'd be more interesting to provide free housing, free local organic food and free bikes, than providing money. It'll help people move away from unheal

I think it'd be more interesting to provide free housing, free local organic food and free bikes, than providing money. It'll help people move away from unhealthy consumerist habits, and solve environmental problems, double-win

chrisulloa 6y ago
Agreed! I am also concerned about how politicians will use UBI as bartering chips and how they will use it to further their own monetary interests.
starpilot 6y ago
You're promoting the conventional view. We've since learned that people's problems are more complex than that. Direct cash disbursements have been shown again and again to be the most effective form of aid.
toast0 6y ago
Giving people free X might work where everyone's need for X is very similar, and the cost to organize the purchase and giving is less than providing dollars earmarked for something. But for bikes in particular, this sounds like a disaster. Not everybody wants a bike, but if it's free, they'll probably take it. But bikes come in all sizes, so we have to stock a lot of them, or just have a 'flexible' bike which isn't well suited for anyone. Meanwhile, it's very hard to sell a bike outside the system, because who would buy a bike that isn't free. I like the idea of giving people some money, and let them figure out what's important to them. If you trash your free bike, no big deal, it was free. If you trash your bike that you bought with free money, you're going to wish you spent your free money on something else. If you spend your free money on dumb stuff and have to eat topramen for the rest of the month, maybe you'll do better next month (or maybe you'll get really good at making top ramen).
chillacy 6y ago
That sounds like you want to provide everyone with stuff you like. Someone else probably wants free fast food and guns. How do we settle the difference? A bunch of lobbying and political action? Or just give everyone cash and let people make their own choices.
- 11235813213455 6y ago
  Sustainable stuff more importantly, for a less consumerist, egoistic human-world, less pollution pressure, more environment-friendly

chrisulloa 6y ago

Agreed! I am also concerned about how politicians will use UBI as bartering chips and how they will use it to further their own monetary interests.

starpilot 6y ago

You're promoting the conventional view. We've since learned that people's problems are more complex than that. Direct cash disbursements have been shown again and again to be the most effective form of aid.

toast0 6y ago

Giving people free X might work where everyone's need for X is very similar, and the cost to organize the purchase and giving is less than providing dollars earmarked for something. But for bikes in particular, this sounds like a disaster. Not everybody wants a bike, but if it's free, they'll probably take it. But bikes come in all sizes, so we have to stock a lot of them, or just have a 'flexible' bike which isn't well suited for anyone. Meanwhile, it's very hard to sell a bike outside the system, because who would buy a bike that isn't free. I like the idea of giving people some money, and let them figure out what's important to them. If you trash your free bike, no big deal, it was free. If you trash your bike that you bought with free money, you're going to wish you spent your free money on something else. If you spend your free money on dumb stuff and have to eat topramen for the rest of the month, maybe you'll do better next month (or maybe you'll get really good at making top ramen).

chillacy 6y ago

That sounds like you want to provide everyone with stuff you like. Someone else probably wants free fast food and guns. How do we settle the difference? A bunch of lobbying and political action? Or just give everyone cash and let people make their own choices.

11235813213455 6y ago
Sustainable stuff more importantly, for a less consumerist, egoistic human-world, less pollution pressure, more environment-friendly