Humans Need Not Apply: Fast Food $15 Minimum Wage Strike Edition

[Sava]

I'm tempted to ask how a basic income would 'destroy' those on fixed incomes and working folk, but I'm afraid the answer will make me want to put my brain in a blender.

Wage slaves might decide to do something other than work ****ty jobs for ****ty pay.

That would, uhm, destroy them. Somehow.

[Sava]

The sad fact is, a techo-utopia is going to be almost entirely demand driven. The current economic power structure is exceedingly supply sided (ironically, to the detriment of "job creators", in addition to everyone else). We can't progress socially (or technologically much) until the economic focus is on demand.

[Ben Kenobi]

I'm tempted to ask how a basic income would 'destroy' those on fixed incomes and working folk, but I'm afraid the answer will make me want to put my brain in a blender.

If everyone has a basic income, it's the same as having no income whatsoever. Rents and prices will adjust to ensure that all of that gets consumed. If you're on a fixed income that was close to the 'basic income', you get destroyed by inflation the following year. It's especially bad if you were able to save under your previous fixed income, and after, you are no longer able to save.

The working poor folks - especially those on part time, or working several part time jobs lose the entire purpose of their jobs once everyone gets guaranteed what they make, or more than they make. They would be put out of a job, and lose the experience they would normally obtain to get a better job in the future. Basically - everyone who's work is worth less than the basic minimum is out of a job.

This will tend to suppress their income over time, whereas before - with work experience even if they weren't making that much - it was still more than they were making previously AND they gain valuable work experience to move up the ladder later on.

[N35t0r]

lol, ben fails at basic economy.

[Ben Kenobi]

An argenchilean who understands economics? Maybe you should apply to work as finance minister.

[MRT144]

idgaf about meat slurry burgers.

Tonight my dinner was two big spoonfuls of peanut butter plus I ate a brick of ramen noodles raw and washed it down with a ****ton of water (it turns your stomach if you don't do that).

Oh yeah and a three day old apple fritter.

****. I could go for some burger king. Wonder if they're still open.

Where are your parents? Good god.

[regexcellent]

They're over 400 miles away.

If it makes you feel better I'm broiling a couple steaks tonight. Medium-well of course. I hate it when it has a red center.

[The Mad Monk]

If everyone has a basic income, it's the same as having no income whatsoever. Rents and prices will adjust to ensure that all of that gets consumed. If you're on a fixed income that was close to the 'basic income', you get destroyed by inflation the following year. It's especially bad if you were able to save under your previous fixed income, and after, you are no longer able to save.

The working poor folks - especially those on part time, or working several part time jobs lose the entire purpose of their jobs once everyone gets guaranteed what they make, or more than they make. They would be put out of a job, and lose the experience they would normally obtain to get a better job in the future. Basically - everyone who's work is worth less than the basic minimum is out of a job.

This will tend to suppress their income over time, whereas before - with work experience even if they weren't making that much - it was still more than they were making previously AND they gain valuable work experience to move up the ladder later on.

Disagree. The only thing like having no income, is having no income. People do different things with their income, including holding back on this or that in order to save, while the only thing they can do with no income (ultimately) is not spend. Also, I disagree with housing costs shooting up just based on BI. There are many different influences on housing cost, and the two biggest ones are the housing stock, and land cost. People set and accept different prices for reasons that may or may not be related to the money supply -- which, by the way is neutral, since we are redistributing the money supply, not increasing it. For example, a small apartment will always rent for less than a larger apartment, all other things being equal, and more rural properties will always sell for less than more urban ones --again, all other things being equal. So, people will always have choices, even if that choice involves moving down or away.

The working poor folks end up benefiting with BI, the same way a retired veteran benefits from his pension while going on to work a civilian job, or everyone benefits when unemployment counts part time pay at 80% (or therabouts) when determining benefits. With BI not counting toward the flat tax, whatever they make they get to keep, without worrying about tripping income limits or entering new tax brackets (which do not work the way everyone thinks they do, but that is for another time).

BTW, this entire discussion is about a majority of people being "out of a job", poor or not. When, not if, that occurs, what will you do with all the people who will literally have no income?

[MRT144]

They're over 400 miles away.

If it makes you feel better I'm broiling a couple steaks tonight. Medium-well of course. I hate it when it has a red center.

It makes me feel a million times worse.

[The Mad Monk]

Where are your parents? Good god.

I don't know, I've had days like that.

[MRT144]

We all have "junk for dinner" but he's eating like someone with a tenth his income or a thousandth my taste.

[regexcellent]

Holy **** my broiler pan ****ing WARPED. WHAT THE ****

this has not happened before.

also, I'm really glad I disabled my smoke detectors.

Overall I'm eating better than last year--I have a job now. When I graduate I'll be making a respectable salary. It has had in impact on my saving/spending wrt food. My goal is to cook a real meal once a week.

[MRT144]

Holy **** my broiler pan ****ing WARPED. WHAT THE ****

Warped in what way? Like, it doesn't lay flat on the rack in the oven? Or it's like a Salvador Dali painting?

[regexcellent]

The former.

Maybe it's supposed to do that cause it's returned mostly to normal now that it cooled off.

[The Mad Monk]

Yeah, baking sheets will do that too, but broiler pans are usually made of sterner stuff. Did you use an actual broiler pan, or did you get a cake pan or cookie sheet and call it "good enough"?