This is for topical issues effecting our fair world... you can quit snickering anytime. Note: It is the desire of the leadership of SFDebris Conglomerate that all posters maintain a civil and polite bearing in this forum, regardless of how you feel about any particular issue. Violators will be turned over to Captain Janeway for experimentation.
Rasp wrote:I'm a big believer in the UBI especially when its applied in a truly universal way - not just for those who are unemployed.
because say $1000 a month may pay the rent and gets you the bare essentials but $1000 UBI + $1200 a month working a minimum wage job means you can buy more games or a bigger tv or find a better apartment so much extra cash you could pump into the economy. Some people will just work for MORE money.
All the benefits of a capitalist system just with less homelessness and disease. you turn those who would be homeless or destitute into consumers able to take advantage of the ever increasing efficiency of production. who really cares if they never seek to better themselves or find a purpose to exist? they've got homes and food and stability and most importantly - they're spending money and creating demand.
You know for sure that they will not feel miserable?
Who knows what kind of fuckery the producers will come up for them?
There is the issue of inflation; just giving everyone $1,000/month means everyone can afford a rent increase or people may demand more for wages which will increase prices - or you may see prices go up as a price increase can be tolerated at the same supply point. It's much the same argument over minimum wage laws.
Robovski wrote:There is the issue of inflation; just giving everyone $1,000/month means everyone can afford a rent increase or people may demand more for wages which will increase prices - or you may see prices go up as a price increase can be tolerated at the same supply point. It's much the same argument over minimum wage laws.
Inflation really plays into in when new money in printed so the value of a bill goes down or money is taken out of the system and the value goes up - this isn't printing NEW money its moving wealth from the richest and moving them down - the value of that money is still mostly the same because there isn't MORE money in the system than there was before its the same money just moved. You'd still create some but from what I've seen in areas that have tried it the burden was spread very thin - something like a dollar or less on average each trip to the store easily negated by the wage increase.
It's the same debunked argument - price increases will be marginal - especially in retail where you have so much competition - and consumers are VERY fickle about prices at the low end retail level. Try and raise prices just to score a bigger margin? good luck buddy someone will heavily undercut you and even if your product is lucky enough to be slightly better you'll get smashed.
We're mostly talking about GROCERIES after all and that business is cut throat as hell. Hell costco is in that business they provide their workers with a living wage and health benefits and it really hasn't had an impact on their prices at all. even though it would have a much larger negative impact on the companies bottom line than this would. plus if you tie the amount to inflation you almost never need to adjust it.
Speaking of the minimum wage also should be tied to inflation so we don't need to keep futzing with it every time bankers tank the economy and the slow kids in congress print them a massive handout.
I am the one who requested Chuck review Kannazuki No Miko. (under an old alias)
I count it among the most despicable things I have ever done to another human being and I'm sorry.
One of my hobbies is to take pieces of my stories and put them through Google translate to another language then translate them back to English. It comes out hilariously garbled after just two translations.
I have no doubt we'll have a universal translator someday, but it's got a long way to go.
FakeGeekGirl wrote:One of my hobbies is to take pieces of my stories and put them through Google translate to another language then translate them back to English. It comes out hilariously garbled after just two translations.
I have no doubt we'll have a universal translator someday, but it's got a long way to go.
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If we can somehow program an AI to comprehend any language for us and find suitable words and phrases to match that language, combine it with this device then you would basically have a translator like in Star Trek.
And the singularity could come tomorrow! All you need to do is solve that pesky P=NP problem!
Wow I didn't realise how many conservatives there were on this forum, given that this is mainly a forum about discussing fiction I'm not going to argue with you, but I don't appreciate being told that 'I'm wrong' just because I disagree with you and don't worship America or the capitalist system.
By the way, in regards to the worry about inflation, that is such a tired argument that has been debunked and a couple of you have already put the facts up regarding it. The entire currency is an artificial concept (but a necessary one) so in the issue of UBI and raising the minimum wage, the effect on inflation would be minimal. If you're so worried about inflation then why don't you help encourage corrupt politicians and business-people to stop hoarding wealth. :\
If we can somehow program an AI to comprehend any language for us and find suitable words and phrases to match that language, combine it with this device then you would basically have a translator like in Star Trek.
And the singularity could come tomorrow! All you need to do is solve that pesky P=NP problem!
I'll admit, I did exaggerate things for effect and just to get the ball rolling.
"I am to liquor what the Crocodile Hunter is to Alligators." - Afroman
