Unpopular opinion: People keep saying universal basic income will make everyone lazy, but I think it'll just shift the kind of work we value, based on a pilot program I read about in Stockton, California.

I've seen a lot of folks argue that a guaranteed income will kill motivation, but the data from that 2-year trial showed people used the money to find better jobs or go to school, so what's a future job you think would become more common if we didn't have to worry about basic survival?

4 comments

4 Comments

smith.nancy2mo ago

Wait, people actually got ahead in Stockton? That's wild considering how expensive California is. Gibson.morgan has a point about community jobs, but I'm shocked the money made a real difference there. If rent is like two grand a month, how did five hundred bucks help someone go back to school or find a new job? It just doesn't add up for me.

gibson.morgan2mo ago

Honestly used to be totally against the idea, figured it would just pay people to do nothing. That Stockton report made me look twice though, seeing how it actually helped people get ahead. If people had that kind of safety net, I bet we'd see way more jobs in community care, like helping the elderly or tutoring kids, stuff that matters but doesn't always pay the bills now.

ivan7742mo agoTop Commenter

I saw a study from Finland where they gave 2,000 people a basic income for two years. It didn't make people work less, but it did make them report less stress and better mental health. Makes you wonder if that security is what lets people take risks on those lower paying but important jobs.

hannah3201mo ago

Jokes on me though, I'd probably just use the money to buy more snacks and nap better. But for real, the Stockton thing made me realize how much of my own stress comes from just worrying about rent. If I had that safety net, I'd totally go for a job like being a crossing guard or helping at a library, stuff that feels useful but pays garbage now. Like, imagine how many more old folks could get company or kids could get tutored if people didn't have to chase a paycheck just to eat. It's crazy how much potential gets wasted on just trying to survive instead of actually living.