One of the big fears when it comes to a UBI is that everyone will just stop working and the economy will come crashing down.

But just think about yourself. Imagine you suddenly find out that you’re getting a guaranteed income, are you suddenly just going to sit at home doing nothing? Sounds pretty boring.

Most of us would still study to go on to a fulfilling career, or we might be able to dedicate more time to writing or photography or design or whatever we feel passionate about.

A lot of part time or casual jobs especially in retail or hospitality might suddenly be empty but many can be automated (think about the screens where you can order at McDonalds already).

Keep in mind that a UBI is only meant to cover the basic needs of food, water and shelter. If you can’t think of any careers that look interesting or you’re still studying and want some spending money you might still take these jobs, but you’ll be able to cover basic expenses without it.

Even if you have your basics covered most people will still work because they want to, and the research supports this. As we outlined in a previous post, a UBI experiment in Canada showed that the only groups that worked substantially less when they got a UBI were mothers with newborn babies and teenagers who could spend more time studying which led to higher graduation rates.

The whole point of a UBI isn’t that people won’t work, it’s that they have the option to choose where they work. They can do the things they love, and they don’t have to accept shitty jobs for the fear that they’ll starve to death if they don’t.

Let us know what you think below. What would you do if your income was taken care of?

JD