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@RamenCatholic@mindly.socialSo, I have an argument for Universal Basic Income that sometimes makes conservative Americans seriously reconsider their stance:
"You ever have to work with someone who is really incompetent or lazy? Someone who is always in your way or making more work for you? Imagine what life would be like if they just got out of the way of everyone who WANTS to work "
Sure, it's a selfish thought, and ignores the issues of people who can't work ... but conservatives are often selfish & ableist anyway.
I have an argument for rent strikes that might make conservative Americans reconsider their bootlicker stance on landlords:
If you do this rent strike, you GET TO KEEP YOUR MONEY.
It is in your SELFISH, GREEFY SELF-INTEREST to do this rent strike.
But when I told the DSA to use that tactic to organize a rent strike rather than trying to do it from an egalitarian standpoint, they looked at me like I had two heads. Two EVIL heads.
Their stupid rent strike predictibly failed.
@CosmickTrigger it was a damn good try though!
I very much like to make arguments for things on a basis of "enlightened" or even "unenlightened" self-interest, because those are powerful motivators -- even for people who purport to decide on the basis of ideals (because quite a few, even of those people, will betray those ideals in secret, if they don't see the benefit to themselves).
There are a number of good systemic, ethical, collectivist, individualist, and pragmatic arguments for UBI. It's a very robust idea.
@TerryHancock yup; I think of it as trying to "speak in their language," too.
ALTHOUGH I AM AVAILABLE TO UPCYCLE THE PEOPLE YOU DON'T WANT AROUND, THIS IS PROBABLY A MORE HUMANE SOLUTION.
@LRRRonEarth I'd give you a few names, but I don't want to end up on a List.
UBI should be done so that it also allows people who do want to do constructive things (not always things anyone gets paid for), including those who are good at what they can do but are not good at being around other people while they do it, or fitting into other people's management structures.
In other words, it's not an alternative to work, it's an enabler of work.
@electropict agreed - especially for stay-at-home parents. Conservatives want moms to stay at home, but without any compensation for giving up careers.
They still think women should go to college for their "MRS" degree, home-economics, and bible studies; but they have no idea what student loans are like these days.
Or, the cruelty is the point. That seems more likely. #USPol #UBI
In that case the debt is the point.
Someone gets to own it, and the interest.