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The original was posted on /r/singularity by /u/Lucky_Strike-85 on 2024-01-13 23:33:12+00:00.
As someone with an education and backgrounds in economics, I do think UBI will work. I do think it is a good idea and very much needed. I think it will be a viable, workable solution to mass automation and a society without labor as income. I think it will be much more accessible outside of North America.
That said, we have less than 70% of the American population is in favor of it... major economists like Paul Krugman keep throwing shade at the idea... and, as you are probably aware, the U.S. is a highly reactionary place, harshly resistant to change, highly authoritarian, and... just look at universal healthcare... you literally have people who claim healthcare is not a right. The powers that B and the masses will campaign hard and advocate for retraining programs, education reform etc. over "gOvERnMenT hAnDoUtS."
Not only that, you have most of the population is blind to AI. It's not in the news. It should be all anyone talks about for the massive and absolutely decimating change to society that is on the horizon. Not only should we be excited, we should be approaching with EXTREME caution.
So, with that in mind, I think, as necessary as UBI will be in the near term, many people will oppose it and reject it with furious ferocity, like they do with single-payer healthcare, that UBI (AND UBS - UNIVERSAL BASIC SERVICES) will not be viable for a long long time.
TLDR; because of social reasons and absolute ignorance, UBI will not be viable in the Americas for a long time.