RE: capitalist religion

From: Lee Corbin (lcorbin@tsoft.com)
Date: Sat Jul 21 2001 - 00:48:13 MDT


John Grigg candidly admits

> I love the idea of a minimal guaranteed annual income.
> Largely because I tend to be a lazy person unless I
> simply must take action for survival! lol

Okay, it's time for me to confess to that also---I would be
very pleased if I didn't have to work, and could write email
and read books all day long (sigh).

But the real question is, "do you in good conscience advocate
it as public policy?". Although I've pretty much given up on
the United States ever becoming a nation, or at least one that
I could whole-heartedly identify with, I still must state what
I think best for a society or a nation, when the relevant
questions come up.

> I think even in a society of guaranteed income, we would see
> most people working to better themselves.

That depends on the people! Your statements apply to some
sets of people in history, but very, very few. In the current
United States, I don't think that the number of people who
would continue working would be adequate, because too many have
very dull, routine jobs, and too many (like me) have better
things to do with their time. The memes of industriousness,
hard work, prudence, and self-reliance would have to be a hell
of a lot stronger than they are now to make a go of it at the
present time.

> I think it will be an incredible world when because of A.I. and mature nanotech
> we see homelessness, poverty and lack of good medical care wiped away. I would
> like to see housing, power and food become very cheap so that people cannot
> even fathom the way 20th and early 21st century have-nots lived.

Yes, that'll be great.

> And I do not see this destroying the traditions of personal responsibility!
> People will just move up on Maslow's pyramid to achieve higher needs and wants.
> As I have already written here, the desire for status will do us well in the
> coming age of incredible prosperity.

I think that you're still talking about people like you
and the people you know. A majority of people will just
non-stop party when their ship comes in.

Lee



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