Oh, finally a happy future isn't it? Money will be given for free?
Oh, finally a happy future isn't it? Money will be given for free?
[Please read everything carefully and understand my opinion before you criticize!!!]
You know, people talk about introducing a universal basic income and support it, calling it some kind of salvation, but in reality... This money will be entirely digital, with no withdrawal option. Moreover, your account will be replenished monthly, and you won't be able to accumulate it. This digital money will be enough, at most, for food, basic needs, and housing (you'll only be able to afford the cheapest one or two-bedroom apartments, where several people share a room, if such housing is available; if not, your shelter will be a tent on the street, or worse).
On top of that, you'll likely only be able to use the internet for a few hours a day, and everything you watch or comment on will be tracked and affect your digital ID. So, if you support protests or even leave comments on social media that don't fit the system, or even just discuss something taboo, it could affect your digital ID, and you could lose your home and everything else because you'll have nothing, everything will be rented out, and eventually you'll be thrown out onto the streets like some kind of mongrel to make you think about your behavior. And if the system deems you dangerous, you'll be kicked out of the system forever and then sent to labor camps, where you'll work like a prisoner until you die of exhaustion.
Do you really think they'll just give you money so you can use it freely? No, this money will be on par with food stamps, like in the USSR, if not worse.
And this will happen in rich countries; in middle-income countries, the situation will be even worse. Only a few will be able to afford a basic income; the rest will have to work for food, performing hard physical labor for 12 hours or more, possibly even without days off. Or, if you're very lucky, you might still be able to find a decent or even easy job with a flexible schedule, which may not involve physical labor, although this will depend on the country you live in. And of course, you will only be paid in digital currency; cash will be banned, and your purchases may be linked to your digital ID.
I wonder: if you want to escape this and not become a digital sheep, will you run away to the forest? Or live in villages? Or survive in poor countries where this digital slavery won't work as well, or won't exist at all? Or will you resign yourself to becoming a digital sheep that can be disposed of at any moment just for fun?
I would be glad if the future wasn't so terrible, but if you look at history and also what's happening in the world right now, you can conclude that nothing good awaits us in the future. Besides, perhaps the old people plan to live 150 or 200 years or more and get rid of us inconvenient freedom-lovers, leaving only a minority of obedient sheep.
I'll ask you one more question: do you really think this won't be implemented? What will you say if you're forced into a pen like sheep by wars, famine, power outages, poverty, chaos due to migrants, and etc.? What will you say then when you find yourself trapped with a choice at the level of running into the forest without preparation or becoming a digital sheep? Did you think you could fight this without making sacrifices, just by sitting on the couch and voting to repeal?..
Or, to put it more briefly, If a bear wanted to eat you, what would you do? Do you think you could fight it off with a wooden stick, especially alone? What if the bear is also cunning and brought nuclear weapons and AI assassin drones with him?
You must understand that there is no justice, and democracy is a lie, it is just an illusion that works until the authorities find a way to subjugate you. This means that no amount of protests or petitions will help you: either you unite, build up your strength, resources, energy, and people, and fight for your freedom, or it will be taken away from you... If you are not prepared enough, you will have to steal food from others and raid food warehouses or cars with a group of other marauders to avoid starvation, unless you want to become a digital sheep, of course.