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There are things that work and couldn’t be piloted - Postal System for example.

by kolinko 2y ago

inglor_cz 2y ago
How so? The first postal systems certainly didn't cover entire kingdoms and didn't serve the entire population.
- HPsquared 2y ago
  They did work at smaller scale though. It's not dependent on psychological dynamics like UBI.
blfr 2y ago
Couriers have existed since the beginning of civilization. With many famous examples, like Pheidippides in keeping with the Olympic spirit. It was obviously valuable and workable from the smallest scale possible: a verbal message carried by a runner.
- ttyprintk 2y ago
  But the network effect of mass messaging —- is what the article means by unpilotable.
  - blfr 2y ago
    The network effect of mass messaging was tested at smaller scales many times. Victorian era pneumatic tubes come to mind or unlimited local calls later, but there must be countless other examples that did not require changing the economy as a whole.
    - enthulhusiastic 2y ago
      but is changing the economy as a whole a fair characterization of UBI? That’s a disservice to the existing complexity of modern economies. Valid arguments not downvoted pls
      - sokoloff 2y ago
        I think the overwhelming majority of transactions can be characterized as a trade (of goods for money, services for money, work for money, money for other money (in form or time), etc.) UBI seems quite different in that regard and, while it doesn’t invalidate everything, it introduces a lot more of money for nothing and a corresponding nothing for money trade that is required to fund it.
_heimdall 2y ago
Courier services have existed for a very, very long time. Heck, Ben Franklin was running one to help connect the 13 colonies. Presumably the government could have actuslly piloted the USPS if they wanted to, only supporting the northeast for example. They just didn't need to, the leap from private courier systems to a government run courier service didn't have many unknowns to test out first.

There are things that work and couldn’t be piloted - Postal System for example.

inglor_cz 2y ago

How so? The first postal systems certainly didn't cover entire kingdoms and didn't serve the entire population.

HPsquared 2y ago
They did work at smaller scale though. It's not dependent on psychological dynamics like UBI.

blfr 2y ago

Couriers have existed since the beginning of civilization. With many famous examples, like Pheidippides in keeping with the Olympic spirit. It was obviously valuable and workable from the smallest scale possible: a verbal message carried by a runner.

ttyprintk 2y ago
But the network effect of mass messaging —- is what the article means by unpilotable.
- blfr 2y ago
  The network effect of mass messaging was tested at smaller scales many times. Victorian era pneumatic tubes come to mind or unlimited local calls later, but there must be countless other examples that did not require changing the economy as a whole.
  - enthulhusiastic 2y ago
    but is changing the economy as a whole a fair characterization of UBI? That’s a disservice to the existing complexity of modern economies. Valid arguments not downvoted pls
    - sokoloff 2y ago
      I think the overwhelming majority of transactions can be characterized as a trade (of goods for money, services for money, work for money, money for other money (in form or time), etc.) UBI seems quite different in that regard and, while it doesn’t invalidate everything, it introduces a lot more of money for nothing and a corresponding nothing for money trade that is required to fund it.

_heimdall 2y ago

Courier services have existed for a very, very long time. Heck, Ben Franklin was running one to help connect the 13 colonies. Presumably the government could have actuslly piloted the USPS if they wanted to, only supporting the northeast for example. They just didn't need to, the leap from private courier systems to a government run courier service didn't have many unknowns to test out first.