UBI, or universal basic income, is a form of direct cash assistance to help the most vulnerable get back on their feet. A new study in Denver suggests it works.
  • underisk@lemmy.mlEnglish
    3·
    1 year ago

    Every time I see an experiment like this it’s wildly successful and then never made into any kind of law or permanent social program.

    • Melllvar@startrek.websiteEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Every time I see this it’s a small group within a larger capitalist society. So of course the results are beneficial to the recipients; it’s not really proving anything in that respect.

      The problem as I see it is how to make it work as its own self-sustaining economic system.

    • pete_the_cat@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      Simply put, a lot of people hate socialism aka “I’m paying so you can get something for free”. I’m all for it.

      My 73 year old father supports Trump (not one of the crazy people, just misguided) and hates Biden. He said one of the biggest things that Biden did that pissed him off was student loan forgiveness because my dad said he had to work 3 jobs in the early 70s to put himself through college (which he dropped out of and went into the electrical trade), so everyone else should have to struggle like he did, regardless of the fact that college cost him like $2,000 a semester and it costs like $12-15 grand now, assuming you’re not living on campus.

      • Cosmic Cleric@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        1 year ago

        so everyone else should have to struggle like he did

        Remind him that as parents we’re supposed to leave the world a better place for our kids.

      • acceptable_pumpkin@lemmy.worldEnglish
        0·
        1 year ago

        That’s such a sad argument. I heard a great counter to that line. Imagine we discovered a cure for cancer. This line of reasoning would say “well my mom suffered and died of cancer so why should others get a cure?”

          • Bipta@kbin.social
            0·
            1 year ago

            What causes you to go to school? Generally a hope to fulfill your basic survival functions these days, like eating, safety, and temperature regulation. Are those needs choices?

            And what causes having those needs? Being born. Was that one’s own choice either?

            I think this argument won’t work well on those who came of age when a highschool degree would cut it, but it is logically rather sound based on present realities.

            • Gigan@lemmy.worldEnglish
              0·
              1 year ago

              I’m a younger millennial and went to school and got a degree. No debt. It’s a choice.

              • zaph@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
                0·
                1 year ago

                I love this argument. Absolutely no empathy for anyone who had different options and experiences, just straight up “I did it so anyone else can too.” You’re making the world a better place. /s

                • Gigan@lemmy.worldEnglish
                  0·
                  1 year ago

                  I can have empathy for people in different situations than me, but it’s not my responsibility to bail them out of their problems.

    • Psaldorn@lemmy.worldEnglish
      1·
      1 year ago

      The sad truth is current capitalism would ruin it.

      If you have a whole city UBI then rent and prices would immediately inflate to siphon that away.

      You’d need robust price laws beforehand, and that’s unpopular. Otherwise it’s just a tax-to-overlords pipeline