JD:  Hey all,

A trial run will begin soon in Oakland:
http://www.msn.com/en-us/money/markets/some-residents-of-oakland-are-about-to-get-a-basic-income/ar-BBoPaxX?li=BBnbfcN

Me:  Yes, again there is an awakening taking place. Economists need to wake up and be real or butt out of the debate regarding Basic Income/Dividend. As for the question: “Will people just sit around and do nothing?” is concerned the answer is….yes, a relative few will do so….and be woefully unhappy as a result. But the vast majority, even under an onerous system like we have now, find purpose anyway, and I strongly suspect an even greater percentage will do so when they don’t have to spend 50+% of their waking life doing something stultingly boring and/or non-self determined so that they’re too tired or semi-anesthetized to do anything but sit in front of the TV or digital monitor afterwards.

The intelligent and non-economically hypnotized question to ask is: How can the society cooperatively and effectively acculturate people for purposeful living whether that be via employment or some other non-paying activity….or both?