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Comment by cloverich | Hacker News Reader

I think its fuzzy -- and perhaps because its so different, or perhaps because (as you suggest) it may not be realistic. But were it realistic, I'd assume hobbies would be a big part of a well functioning society. I think we'd see at least some blossoming of hobbyists where, free to pursue their highest interests, you'd see some truly spectacular music and art, some people becoming nearly professional at their sport of choice (and more esports). I think there's at least one (and perhaps many) hobbies for everyone, and that many people working and parenting never get around to discovering them. Having only more recently discovered mine, I can tell you I wish i had more time to pursue them!

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There's another problem with basic income: being able to earn an income is a signal of mate quality, and that norm might take a long time to unlearn.

While it's better than letting people starve or get food stamps, you might find a large class of young, unemployed males who have trouble getting interest from potential mates. Historically, that's always been recipe for political unrest.

And even if there's not, if basic income becomes a thing, I'll bet there is large positive status attached to someone demanding your labor. People on basic will be second-class citizens, and there will always be political pressure from the 'working class' to reduce the drain on the tax base.

We already have large classes of "second class citizens" -- might as well make life more livable for them.

The whole point of basic income is that it enables such young males to devote their time to pursuing non-monetary goals in music, arts which would signal 'mate quality'. Or longer term monetary goals such as autodidactically acquiring a skill e.g programming and building something.

Poor people in the traditional sense would be able to pursue internships without pay to gain skills because they are underpinned by UB. An option not available today. As an employer I could take on more 'apprentices' on UBI, the contract being that I give them training, give them guidance whilst they work 'for free' until a certain point it becomes worthwhile to pay them above and beyond UBI because they're worth it.

This is known as "bare branches" http://www.ejhs.org/volume15/Bare.html

Well that's a rather euphemistic translation of guan gun. I've always thought of it as "bare stick" or "bare pole". The phallic connotations being 100% intentional.

That would happen anyway. Better that they have their basic needs met but have trouble finding a mate than they have to struggle to survive and have trouble finding a mate.

People that are on the equivalent of basic now are already second-class citizens.

On the other hand, there are always alternative paths to attractiveness, outside of the purely financial. In some sub-cultures, you can be broke as hell, but if, say, you're really good at playing guitar, you can have your pick.

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