Gwynne Dyer: Universal basic income is not crazy and not going away

[whatthehey]

16. The main obstacle is human nature

Way too many people see work as a means of self-identification and self-worth, especially in the US (the question "what do you do?" asked to people of different nationalities elicits varying answers, but in the US is always answered with a job if the respondent has one). It's how many people assert hierarchy or choose friends and acquaintances. It is also to some a genuine source of pastime when they lack the interest in finding another. The UBI is surely possible and even laudable as labor becomes less and less the sine qua non of productive endeavors, but it will be a long and wrenching road to acceptance. For me personally I'd take it in a heartbeat and be happy getting deeper and deeper into some aspect of ancient history or German philosophy of the 19th century. I'd much rather do that and live modestly than live as well off as I do and waste my time shuffling data and making widgets, but alas I have not yet amassed enough capital to make that a viable option (getting closer - I'll retire long before SSI). Somebody else could do my job and we'd both be happier. But hell people have gone back to work as meatpackers after winning the lottery so they need something to do obviously.