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by JKCalhoun 312 days ago
I've never been a fan of UBI (and I'm often downvoted for that, ha ha). I like the idea of mandating an 18 hour work week or similar though. It still keeps the incentive to work — still rewards those who want to achieve more.

One wonders though what impact that will have on society — so much additional free time. More television binging? I hope not.
1 comments
edoceo 312 days ago
Why do folk "need" to work? To justify their existence? Don't we have a duty of care for fellow humans?
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AnimalMuppet 312 days ago
Folk need to work to justify their existence to themselves. Just yesterday, there was an article here about why people feel bad about themselves when they aren't being productive.

Our own psychology aside, people need to work because at present robots cannot make all the stuff we want. So if we (society as a whole) want all this stuff, then we need to work.

We have a duty to treat our fellow humans with dignity and humanity. I'm not sure that extends to providing for those who can work but won't, though - not when there's work that society as a whole needs done.

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ponector 312 days ago
That is an American mindset: your job makes who you are. Like you have no identity without a job. Mainly because without a job you loose health insurance, housing, everything.
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JKCalhoun 311 days ago
I am not seeing how the two are mutually exclusive.

I think there needs to be a pretty fundamental shift in society for us to continue to function if, for example, everyone was essentially on welfare. Not sure what they are supposed to all be doing in the "Star Trek universe" for example. Somehow "Logan's Run" comes to mind — you know, if we actually still got together with each other. ;-)

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JKCalhoun 312 days ago
Curiously, and this is probably just me, but I find I need to work in order to enjoy (value) my leisure time. Odd, I know.
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selfhoster11 312 days ago
OK, then work. If I enjoyed 5:30am wake-up times, I wouldn't require others to replicate it.
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JKCalhoun 312 days ago
To be sure. I was only answering as to why I find I need some sort of work.
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cwmoore 312 days ago
Many people work so that other people don’t let them starve or put them in prison.
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