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Universal Basic Income Is Silicon Valley’s Latest Scam

posted by martyb on Monday October 15 2018, @05:18AM   Printer-friendly
from the perpetual-motion dept.

An Anonymous Coward writes:

Think of it: The government prints more money or perhaps — god forbid — it taxes some corporate profits, then it showers the cash down on the people so they can continue to spend. As a result, more and more capital accumulates at the top. And with that capital comes more power to dictate the terms governing human existence.

UBI really just turns us from stakeholders or even citizens to mere consumers.

Meanwhile, UBI also obviates the need for people to consider true alternatives to living lives as passive consumers. Solutions like platform cooperatives, alternative currencies, favor banks, or employee-owned businesses, which actually threaten the status quo under which extractive monopolies have thrived, will seem unnecessary. Why bother signing up for the revolution if our bellies are full? Or just full enough?

Under the guise of compassion, UBI really just turns us from stakeholders or even citizens to mere consumers. Once the ability to create or exchange value is stripped from us, all we can do with every consumptive act is deliver more power to people who can finally, without any exaggeration, be called our corporate overlords.

No, income is nothing but a booby prize. If we're going to get a handout, we should demand not an allowance but assets. That's right: an ownership stake.

https://medium.com/s/powertrip/universal-basic-income-is-silicon-valleys-latest-scam-fd3e130b69a0

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  • (Score: 2) by sjames on Monday October 15 2018, @08:48PM (3 children)

    by sjames (2882) on Monday October 15 2018, @08:48PM (#749217) Journal

    I didn't commit a first fallacy here. And nice dodging of the question.

    People are forbidden to work at below the minimum wage because if they do, they end up depending on subsidies in order to continue living. Effectively, their payroll ends up socialized. Surely your argument isn't we don't need socialism because socialism works fine?

    My original post stands, choose one, Senator. Try to stay on target.

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  • (Score: 1, Troll) by jmorris on Monday October 15 2018, @09:09PM (2 children)

    by jmorris (4844) on Monday October 15 2018, @09:09PM (#749221)

    Nah brah, you clearly ain't smart enough for this ride and everyone else has moved onto another thread.

    • (Score: 2) by sjames on Monday October 15 2018, @10:10PM

      by sjames (2882) on Monday October 15 2018, @10:10PM (#749247) Journal

      Classic fail on your part, HAND.

    • (Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 15 2018, @10:49PM

      by Anonymous Coward on Monday October 15 2018, @10:49PM (#749265)

      Says everyone to you all the time, but you expect us to take YOU seriously? lawwwwl brah, git gud