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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
(Score: 1) by khallow on Tuesday October 16 2018, @11:11PM (4 children)
From your own link:
I already noted three things that qualify. The first counts as a special condition. Create a UBI and someone will need a bunch of info and power to prevent fraud. The second is an implicit obligation. Create the UBI and it will need to be defended from the busy bodies who will want to use it as a societal modification tool (particularly difficult since it was created for that purpose). And finally, the bit about having to retain citizenship in order to continue to receive the UBI is a typical restriction.
Now that we've settled that, I'll summarize my side. I merely pointed out that UBI has some strings attached to itself. It's nowhere as bad as poorly designed needs-base stuff that encourages people to stay in poverty. But they are there.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Wednesday October 17 2018, @12:21AM (3 children)
It's funny how everybody I have ever spoken with but you shares my understanding of the phrase.
But note that your rather over-broad definition of strings attached covers literally everything including breathing since nobody is guaranteed their next breath.
But you do seem at last to see my point. Without the means testing and restrictions on how it can be spent, it avoids being a poverty trap.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday October 17 2018, @01:38AM (2 children)
The dictionary shares my understanding of the phrase too.
(Score: 2) by sjames on Wednesday October 17 2018, @02:13AM (1 child)
Only if you read it sideways with the wrong prescription glasses.
(Score: 1) by khallow on Wednesday October 17 2018, @10:40AM