Here's a... new... idea for the future of the economy. The author makes a case for a
minimum base income, provide by the government. The argument here, which I completely agree with, is that technology is performing more and more of the jobs that people once did.
As Jaron Lanier points out, Kodak once provided 140,000 middle class jobs, and in the smouldering ruins of that company’s bankruptcy we have Instagram, with 13 employees. It’s an extreme example, in most cases the economic misery is largely confined to young people, with entry-level workers trapped in a cycle of internships, ever-lengthening education, and debt.
It goes without saying that digital photography has pretty much killed the need for photo labs (outside my 70y/o uncle) to much of the public, and that sites such as Instagram allow people to share and remember their drunken endeavors with much more speed and efficiency, while being maintained by far, far fewer people. Similar things happened with the automation of automobile factories, and it will likely only increase as technology takes over more of the job market.
Once this shift happens, it will be nearly impossible to even have a job without some kind of education. The article states that, should everyone be provided with a default level of income that allows them to "live comfortably", people will have the time and energy to do what they truly enjoy, instead of spending their time at jobs they hate so they can afford to pay rent. The argument here is that people are not inherently lazy, but, while some may certainly sit around and do nothing, those with the desire to work, or in some way be productive, will take the time and effort to do so.
