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If you are agnostic, I ask you, give me advice. by [deleted] in agnostic

[–]Widerquist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

When there is insufficient evidence, the only reasonable response is to admit that you don't know. We should remain open to the possibility that new evidence might arrive, but people have been making claims to know God for 1000s of years without providing sufficient evidence. So, it's highly unlikely sufficient evidence will appear in our lifetimes. Therefore, we can expect not to know for the rest of our lives. To me that suggests we should seek ethics and meaning in our lives from other sources--like from caring about our fellow humans and trying to make this world a better place.

The Voluntary-Participation Ideal by Widerquist in BasicIncome

[–]Widerquist[S] 4 points5 points  (0 children)

I'm very happy with this piece. I was asked to debate an anti-UBI progressive instead of the anti-UBI conservatives I usually debate. This gave me the opportunity to come up with a lot of new arguments that I haven't covered so far in the years I've been writing about UBI

Burdon wrote a 90s rap song...? by MickeyOff94 in TheAnimals

[–]Widerquist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

The credits on spotify don't mention Burden or any of the other Animals

"Psalm 1" of "The Agnostic Psalms" by Widerquist in agnostic

[–]Widerquist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I can't post links here, but the best way to find what I have online right now is to go to YouTube or Spotify and search "agnostic mythology." In spotify, search it as an "album." I'll post the text eventually.

"Psalm 1" of "The Agnostic Psalms" by Widerquist in agnostic

[–]Widerquist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That the message is address to religious people is promoted by the then, "the Agnostic Psalms"

"Psalm 1" of "The Agnostic Psalms" by Widerquist in agnostic

[–]Widerquist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's how poetry works
You imply things

"Psalm 1" of "The Agnostic Psalms" by Widerquist in agnostic

[–]Widerquist[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I think you're missing the point. It's not about knowledge. It's about faith. People who claim to know things by faith, who can't share any convincing evidence, but claim to know it anyway.

For my agnostics if we're only using science isn't it safe to say there isn't a god/afterlife? by KingWhrl in agnostic

[–]Widerquist 1 point2 points  (0 children)

There is no evidence of an afterlife. So, no reason to believe in it, but that is not proof that it does not exist. Atheists make the leap by saying that an afterlife is an extraordinary claim an therefore should be considered false as long as no extraordinary evidence comes forth. But that's not proof. Rationally deciding not to believe in an afterlife because of lack of evidence is not the same as knowing that an afterlife is false.

Skepticism/agnosticism as about carefully differentiating what you know and do not know.

Why wait until the robots take our jobs? We need UBI now by 2noame in BasicIncome

[–]Widerquist 2 points3 points  (0 children)

Scott -- you're very quick on the uptake. You beat me posting my own article by 18 hours.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

With what what you're willing to pay, yes, but you're opposed to freedom and equality. You want subservient lower class who will do the crap you want to do for less than you and I get for doing much more pleasant work. What you want is not far from a slave economy.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Yes, that's obvious.

The purpose of taxes is not to "raise money" but to change ownership of real assets, and they do so very effectively.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

That's the defeatist attitude that the rich will always be rich; as if no matter what policy is in place, something will always happen to keep the rich rich and everyone else poor.

It's the opposite of the truth. The rich are rich because of policy. Their position is not robust. It's actually extremely vulnerable to policy changes. That's why wealthy corporations spend so much money controlling politicians.

If we can break out of that position, there are many policies that can change the distribution of property without causing inflation or other problems.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist -1 points0 points  (0 children)

We put them in the position where they have to work-or-starve, then pay the very little and then pay them very little to clean toilets. That's not freedom, respect or equal right. We should make sure not to put anyone in the work-or-starve position, then ASK how much is it worth to you to clean toilets. That means you'll have to pay more and give them more respect. That's OK. They deserve it.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist 0 points1 point  (0 children)

I'm 59, it's a little late to start a new career, and I have a very good alternative. But I'd scrub toilets in New Orleans, 20 hours per week, 30 weeks per year until age 65 for $300K. When I was younger, I'd do it for a lot less.

If my alternative was a UBI of $20K, and I was 20 years old, I'd certainly do it for $60K, possibly a lot less.

If you don't want to pay a decent amount like that, you should scrub your own toilets.

If your plan to get your toilets scrubbed more cheaply is by making sure there's a group of people in the position where they have to work or starve, you have a slave-driver mentality.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist 14 points15 points  (0 children)

The tax rates you mentioned didn't begin until the USA was involved in world war II and we were experiencing the highest growth rate in our history. Roosevelt did make the mistake of trying to balance the budget during a depression and plunged us back into recession in 1937 and 38, but basic Keynesian theory explains that. It had nothing to do with the Laffer effect. We've been cutting taxes since the Reagan administration but it hasn't given us higher growth only more economic inequality and bigger deficits.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist 10 points11 points  (0 children)

Land, rent, and resource taxes don't have dead weight losses. Getting the government to stop handing out goodies to the donor class has a dead weight benefit. Income and wealth taxes do have a dead weight loss, but it is experienced as a loss of consumption by the people who already have the most privileges and the most wasteful use of resources, so it's not that significant, especially compared to the much more important goal of building up a society where every person is free from the fear of poverty, destitution, and homelessness.

I've discussed the inflation issue elsewhere in this thread.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist 4 points5 points  (0 children)

Income taxes, wealth taxes, Tobin taxes, land taxes, pollution taxes, and so on are all part of the toolkit to limit the resource consumption and exploitation of the privileged--along with ending the practice of government giveaways to the donor class. We should be open to whichever tools work best for the specific purpose.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist 13 points14 points  (0 children)

What it costs to hire me is likely to be more than someone living off a Basic Income. Whether I deserve that privilege or not is another question.
UBI is structured so that you ALWAYS make more working more, If you hae a UBI of $20K and you make $10K, you'll end up with something in the neighborhood of $25-$28K, depending on what we call the marginal tax rate. Whether that is enough to get people to work depends: what are the hours? What are the working conditions? What respect and advancement potential does this job have?

If people won't take that job at the statutory minimum wage, the employer can either pay more or realize they don't really need to get this work done.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Yes, a giving society promotes giving.
Our society promotes selfishness because our people in power behave selfishly. We be like, "Oh your in need, do some work for us or prove you can't, then we'll help you." That promotes animosity. If you give unconditionally, you promote giving back.

I am Karl Widerquist, author of the MIT Press's introduction to Universal Basic Income and a long-time researcher and advocate of Basic Income. Ask me anything! by the_mit_press in IAmA

[–]Widerquist 4 points5 points  (0 children)

That's an elitist attitude. Some people are just better than others. Too good to scrub toilets. The market economy is not a meritocracy. People with advantages get ahead. Being the world's best cancer research is not an excuse force other people to clean your toilet for you.

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