Much to my surprise, about 2 days ago, I found an email from Medium’s Elizabeth Tobey in my inbox, thanking me for my response to Talia Jane. While I am convinced that it was a bulk mail, I still felt just a little bit flattered. Ms. Tobey brought your article to my attention, and suggested it as a good read for me, and that I should write a response to it. She was right. It was a good read for me, and I will respond to your article, so here goes:

Yes, I also felt appalled by some of the hate comments Talia Jane received, and as a matter of fact, I still do. To me, it feels pretty much as you describe it in the above highlight. Talia Jane just wants to put food on the table, pay her rent and her electricity, gas and water bills. Anyone with a job should be able to do this.

People who suggested to her that she should have studied something else than English, cannot count on my sympathy. Students who study any language (or any subject for that matter) tend to be passionate about that subject. Telling them to study economics or IT, just to name a few, would not work. You see, when someone is not passionate about her or his field of study or job, chances are great that they will never become good at it. If you were an employer, would you hire an unmotivated IT-consultant? No, you would not!

So when people decide to study English, it is not appropriate to question their choice or judgement. I can assure you that they have their reasons. Mostly, that reason tends to be that they are good at it.

Secondly, Talia Jane got a lot of aggravation from people who suggested that she should not be living in an expensive area such as Silicon Valley. Well, when you want to make a career for yourself in IT or as a tech writer, that is the place you would want to be. Chances are that the rent is much lower in Antwerp, Ohio, but I guess that there, you will not find suitable employment in your chosen field. In fact, the only reason that I know of Antwerp, Ohio, is that I am from Antwerp, Belgium (primarily known abroad for its cathedral).

In short, living in the country and paying a lower rent, would not solve Talia Jane’s problems. Chances are that she would not find a job in the first place.

The main question remains: ‘How can we solve the problem of so many people who are working to earn a living nowadays, and still cannot pay for their most basic needs?’ Well, I was born in 1964 to parents who believed that anyone should be entitled to have a good life and at least be able to pay the rent and put food on the table without having to struggle to achieve this. In my view, putting food on the table and being able to pay your rent are basic human rights. In fact, according to my late dad (1927–2010) everybody should have the right to a basic income, whether they are working or not. Having worked as a social worker for over 20 years, I tend to agree with my dad. Not everybody happens to be born with the same talents or skills. Not all skills or talents are wanted in today’s society for that matter. Does that mean that people have to starve? No, not in my book! Well, my father was not the first to put forward the idea of an unconditional basic income for everyone. Of course, he picked someone else’s brains. In fact, Thomas Payne’s Agrarian Justice in 1795 was the first document that suggested such an income. Nowadays, Philippe van Parijs is a well-known advocate for the unconditional basic income. Others are Rutger Bregman and Roland Duchatelet.

Chances are that most readers of this article have not heard of these advocates of the unconditional basic income. Surely, Thomas Payne must ring some bells, and as a matter of fact, Philippe van Parijs has been an appreciated academic all over the world. Among others, he has held positions at both Yale and Oxford.

While I do not consider myself to be a learned person, I cannot but conclude that overall, advocates for the unconditional basic income are anything but ‘brainless dreamers’. Therefore, it is high time that we look into their ideas and stop shouting that ‘There Is No Alternative’.