UBI will make us miserable

The article argues that Universal Basic Income induced by AI displacement will likely cause widespread misery rather than liberation, drawing on historical evidence from the mid-20th century and modern unemployment data. It posits that humans require structured purpose to avoid depression and social decay, as seen in the unhappy plight of housewives who had unlimited leisure time or unemployed men facing rising suicide rates. Ultimately, the author suggests that even unfulfilling work provides necessary psychological satisfaction that pure leisure cannot replace.

Read at The Spectator

All articles from 30 August 2026. Summaries are AI-generated and may contain errors; the linked article is the authority.