by Karl Widerquist | Jun 21, 2014 | Research
John Aziz -TheWeek.com
SUMMARY: This article discusses technological unemployment and concludes optimistically, “If the economy is disemboweled by a lack of consumer spending, corporations fat off the self-perpetuating riches of automation and plentiful, cheap energy will likely be all too happy to support generous redistributive programs to support the spending of the hordes of out-of-work people, like a universal basic income.”
John Aziz, “Could a robot do my job? Probably, but I’m still optimistic.” TheWeek, May 20, 2014.
Is it only a matter of time? (Thinkstock via TheWeek)
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 19, 2014 | Research
Mother and child, John H White, Flickr via Our Kingdom
SUMMARY: According to this article, UK government proposal to 25 hours a week free childcare is to be welcomed. But it fails to get to the core of a sexist economy which relies on care work being done for free 24 hours a day. The author, Fiona Ranford, makes the feminist case for a Basic Income. Fiona Ranford is a feminist activist in London.
Fiona Ranford, “Care work is a 24 hour a day job, Mr Balls, and should be paid as such.” Our Kingdom, September 2013.
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 17, 2014 | Research
SUMMARY: “Giving taxpayers $250 per month, reducing carbon emissions and boosting the economy. This is what the future could hold if the United States imposed a revenue-neutral carbon tax on fossil fuel production.”
Mike Ludwig, “Report: A Carbon Tax That Would Create Jobs, Cut Emissions and Put Money in Your Pocket.” Truthout, 12 June 2014.
More than two dozen major American corporations, including the five oil giants, are preparing to pay climate-related taxes such as The Motiva refinery, pictured here, co-owned by Shell in Port Arthur, Texas, April 2, 2013. (Photo: Michael Stravato / The New York Times via Truthout)
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 15, 2014 | Research
Tyler Morning Telegraph’s Editorial Board, “A job is superior to guaranteed income.” Tyler Morning Telegraph [Tyler, Texas], Sunday, 8 June 2014.
by Karl Widerquist | Jun 15, 2014 | Research
PUBLISHER’S SUMMARY: You are about to become obsolete. You think you are special, unique, and that whatever it is that you are doing is impossible to replace. You are wrong. As we speak, millions of algorithms created by computer scientists are frantically running on servers all over the world, with one sole purpose: do whatever humans can do, but better. That is the argument for a phenomenon called technological unemployment, one that is pervading modern society. But is that really the case? Or is it just a futuristic fantasy? What will become of us in the coming years, and what can we do to prevent a catastrophic collapse of society? Robots Will Steal Your Job, But That’s OK: How to Survive the Economic Collapse and Be Happy explores the impact of technological advances on our lives, what it means to be happy, and provides suggestions on how to avoid a systemic collapse.
One of the solutions discussed in this book is an unconditional basic income (a federal stipend guarantee).
Federico Pistono, Robots Will Steal Your Job, But That’s OK: How to Survive the Economic Collapse and Be Happy, Second Edition. CreateSpace, January 14, 2014.
Robotswillstealyourjob.com
