Can human worth exist independently of employment?
UBI (Universal Basic Income) proposes a financial system where the government grants every adult citizen a set amount of money regularly, regardless of their employment status.
Key Features of UBI
1. Universal: Everyone receives it—there are no restrictions based on income, age, or employment.
2. Unconditional: You don’t have to work, prove need, or perform specific tasks to receive it.
3. Regular: Payments are made consistently (e.g., monthly) to provide stable economic support.
4. Individual: Payments are given to individuals, not households, to ensure personal autonomy.
As automation, AI, and global change reshape the world of work, we’re faced with big questions about how society values labour, income, and human purpose. Could Universal Basic Income offer a fairer, freer future — or does it disrupt the foundations of work itself?
How might society change if people were no longer required to work for survival?
This online discussion invites us to question not just how we work — but why we work, and what life beyond work might look like.
Areas for Inquiry:
· Can work ever be fully fulfilling, or is it inherently alienating under capitalism?
· Should care and emotional labour be considered morally and economically equivalent to paid labour?
· If all work is voluntary, what obligations do humans have to contribute to collective well-being?
· Could freedom from work lead to existential boredom, and would this boredom itself create new social hierarchies?
· If work is removed as a source of social value, what new measures could or should determine a person’s worth?
Be part of this collaborative exploration. We want to hear from you, your insights and ideas are essential! Share your perspectives and lets design a future that is fair and equitable for all.