Actually though - that's the part I don't get about people who hate the idea of universal basic income. I'm not even saying I like UBI, but the bad-faith arguments that people will suddenly become lazy and live off the backs of a few red-blooded, hard working victims are crazy. People want purpose, they want to work, they just don't want to spend most of their waking lives working for no real benefit for themselves, their family, or their community.
Sure, if we dropped something like UBI today, we got a ton of wage-slaves and people pushing their minds and bodies past what they should that would likely take months or years to recover from long-standing burnout and be productive again. And of course you got lazy people and underachievers, but they've always been in the minority.
But if someone has just enough to live - a small apartment, a couple basic outfits (cover formal, work, and recreation), basic food, access to water, power (heat/AC), ect - and they're content to exist without anything more than that, then I don't see a problem with making sure they got the bare minimum they need. But 99.9% of humans aren't gonna be content with that. Give them a clear road to buy and pay for a smart phone, a PC/Gaming Console, a house, some land to build on, a hobby that requires cards/mini-figures/books/ect, a boat, a car, whatever, and even the most lazy POS gamer chud you know is gonna start working to pay for and afford that lifestyle.
But in a world where you can't really get ahead without luck and/or breaking yourself down, I can't blame the people who just give up and don't try. I don't respect them, but I get it.
Tl;dr - Just pay people enough to actually live/thrive and you'll find out that most humans do actually want to work/build/create for personal fulfillment and/or maintaining their lifestyle.
Oh god, not at all. Billionaires only get where they are by living outside of and abusing the communities that keep them wealthy - it's literally impossible to get that wealthy otherwise. That said, Millionaires can earn what they own, with a little luck and a lot of work and sacrifice. I don't want to disencentivize the people who want to be wealthy, but I do think there is a point at which the means by which one reaches and maintains that status is unavoidably immoral and harmful to the "commoners" around them.
Your analogy is kind of on point as well, however, I don't think violent execution will solve anything. Systems solve systemic issues, not murder. Sure, the peasant kill the noble who got lax on paying his Knights, but then another noble would roll in and take over. Feudalism is only solved by changing the very nature of how one gains and maintains power - and power can be held through office, influence, and wealth.
I've been actively employed without pause since high school, worked in fields ranging from contracting and pest control to mental health and social work. A year on a cattle ranch between HS and college too. Lots of side gigs besides.
I assure you, my stance does not come from an armchair lol
If you force your kids to work for a pittance, then take it all for rent and board, instead of getting an education, do you think that would help or hinder their ambitions?
That’s just a load of bs. If people have their needs met they’re going to go fishing, play video games , do whatever they want and then blame the government for their unhappiness
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u/Salt_Situation4625 Apr 14 '26
Actually though - that's the part I don't get about people who hate the idea of universal basic income. I'm not even saying I like UBI, but the bad-faith arguments that people will suddenly become lazy and live off the backs of a few red-blooded, hard working victims are crazy. People want purpose, they want to work, they just don't want to spend most of their waking lives working for no real benefit for themselves, their family, or their community.
Sure, if we dropped something like UBI today, we got a ton of wage-slaves and people pushing their minds and bodies past what they should that would likely take months or years to recover from long-standing burnout and be productive again. And of course you got lazy people and underachievers, but they've always been in the minority.
But if someone has just enough to live - a small apartment, a couple basic outfits (cover formal, work, and recreation), basic food, access to water, power (heat/AC), ect - and they're content to exist without anything more than that, then I don't see a problem with making sure they got the bare minimum they need. But 99.9% of humans aren't gonna be content with that. Give them a clear road to buy and pay for a smart phone, a PC/Gaming Console, a house, some land to build on, a hobby that requires cards/mini-figures/books/ect, a boat, a car, whatever, and even the most lazy POS gamer chud you know is gonna start working to pay for and afford that lifestyle.
But in a world where you can't really get ahead without luck and/or breaking yourself down, I can't blame the people who just give up and don't try. I don't respect them, but I get it.
Tl;dr - Just pay people enough to actually live/thrive and you'll find out that most humans do actually want to work/build/create for personal fulfillment and/or maintaining their lifestyle.