Would UBI would be the first step toward a Star Trek life?

I have been following this idea for sometime. I am on the fence if this is an idea that would work. In theory it would work for some. I have always wondered about the people of Star Trek, if there is no need for money, why work? What is meaningful work? We never see the slackers in Star Trek.

I know of people who have been given the luxury gift of time. Through inheritance, in influx of sudden cash or through careful planning have been able to work on their own projects without the worry of needing to work for someone else for the base necessities. The experiment is of a mixed success. Some have squandered their time. The novel was not written. The comicbook is still in the developmental stage. Pajamas was the dress code. There are are many who cannot adhere to creating a schedule they have created.

I was intrigued by some companies that allowed their employees to use 20 percent of their time at work to work on their own projects. That is a dream company. I worked for a place that not necessarily applauded this idea but, turned a blind eye. It was certainly a morale boost. While creating my own dream projects I was able see that I can certainly work on my own, with a schedule of my own making. This is the key, being a self starter.

I am one of the types of people that UBI would work for. Sometime ago, I have been able to remove myself from someone else’s dream. Through a series of projects I created my own company. (One has to have a company to buy a company) By having your own LLC or DBA you can give yourself any title you want. On Sunbiz, you are at least an Owner/Manager of your own company.

Success without a salary can as simple as telling a story. While working for myself, I am acknowledged in my community by my volunteerism with my local branch library. I volunteer as a small claims mediator at the courthouse. I do some probono research on historic homes in my community for homeowners. I can tell people of what the library has been able to accomplish by our help. I have been able to tell the story of some unique history I found for an author.(after the work is published and I do not break NDAs)

Historically, one can use the ideas of Thorstein Veblen’s writing on the leisure class or Edith Wharton’s work pertaining to the upper class as a case for UBI. Many who do not need to work, found meaningful work mainly in volunteerism. There is evidence of performing meaningful work when one does not need to in Downton Abby.

I would love to see UBI come to be but, there is so much that has to change. There needs to be a paradigm shift in how we perceive our work and how we consume. And that is another topic.

You have written a very timely article.

Thank you,

Rox of Spazhouse, Intuitive Research