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Right here. This is what is wrong with our economic system and why I support UBI. Nuclear engineer flipping burgers. Totally absurd.

danielrhodes 11y ago
Why is that absurd? If your skill/focus is X and nobody needs X, that doesn't entitle you to a job anyways. If somebody is a nuclear engineer flipping burgers, I think the real question is why haven't they refocused themselves to work on something which is more in-demand and likewise would take advantage of their obvious aptitude for mentally challenging subjects.
- rorykoehler 11y ago
  Your position assumes that if a skill is not profitable it is not worth doing. I respectfully disagree with that premise. Who knows what kind of potential we are letting waste away because, due to lack of circumstance, resources and connections, it's not profitable to exploit it? I believe that by giving everyone a guaranteed minimum livable income, in turn freeing them from the shackles of wage-slavery, we would unlock an as yet unknown potential in humanity and foster an age of unrivaled innovation unlike anything we have seen up until this point. With the technology we have, one person can change the course of the future, yet we are content to let clearly qualified and skilled people flip burgers (edit: roll burritos in this case)? That's like running a company and confining your CTO mopping the floors all day.
toephu2 11y ago
People should really stay away from using acronyms that are not known by the general public. By using the acronym UBI you assume 90% of the HN crowd understands what you're talking about? I google'd "ubi" and I got "Ubi -The Voice Of The Internet", "Ubi Interactive", "Ubi - The Ubiquitous Computer - Voice-Activated & Always On" and "United Bicycle Institute". So I have really no idea of what you support.
- thelambentonion 11y ago
  I believe GP is referring to 'Universal Basic Income' [1], however I've never seen it referred to as 'UBI' before. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income
- rorykoehler 11y ago
  Sorry yes, my mistake. Universal Basic Income. It was slightly off topic too but it really grates me to see obviously skilled people unable to pursue their interests professionally.
loblollyboy 11y ago
Rolling burritos.

danielrhodes 11y ago

Why is that absurd? If your skill/focus is X and nobody needs X, that doesn't entitle you to a job anyways. If somebody is a nuclear engineer flipping burgers, I think the real question is why haven't they refocused themselves to work on something which is more in-demand and likewise would take advantage of their obvious aptitude for mentally challenging subjects.

rorykoehler 11y ago
Your position assumes that if a skill is not profitable it is not worth doing. I respectfully disagree with that premise. Who knows what kind of potential we are letting waste away because, due to lack of circumstance, resources and connections, it's not profitable to exploit it? I believe that by giving everyone a guaranteed minimum livable income, in turn freeing them from the shackles of wage-slavery, we would unlock an as yet unknown potential in humanity and foster an age of unrivaled innovation unlike anything we have seen up until this point. With the technology we have, one person can change the course of the future, yet we are content to let clearly qualified and skilled people flip burgers (edit: roll burritos in this case)? That's like running a company and confining your CTO mopping the floors all day.

toephu2 11y ago

People should really stay away from using acronyms that are not known by the general public. By using the acronym UBI you assume 90% of the HN crowd understands what you're talking about? I google'd "ubi" and I got "Ubi -The Voice Of The Internet", "Ubi Interactive", "Ubi - The Ubiquitous Computer - Voice-Activated & Always On" and "United Bicycle Institute". So I have really no idea of what you support.

thelambentonion 11y ago
I believe GP is referring to 'Universal Basic Income' [1], however I've never seen it referred to as 'UBI' before. [1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Basic_income
rorykoehler 11y ago
Sorry yes, my mistake. Universal Basic Income. It was slightly off topic too but it really grates me to see obviously skilled people unable to pursue their interests professionally.

loblollyboy 11y ago

Rolling burritos.