He’s been flying in an unpressurized cabin again:

https://www.cnbc.com/2018/07/0...al-basic-income.html

Billionaire Richard Branson: America should give out free cash to fix income inequality

One solution to income inequality is giving out free cash, according to the British billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson.

“A basic income should be introduced in Europe and in America,” Branson told David Gelles of The New York Times.

Branson was responding to the question, “What do you think those in positions of power should do to address social problems like income inequality?”

In a report published in January, the global charity Oxfam found that 82 percent of the growth in global wealth in the previous year went to the top 1 percent of individuals ranked by riches. Meanwhile, the bottom 50 percent had no increase in their wealth, the report says.

“It’s a disgrace to see people sleeping on the streets with this material wealth all around them,” Branson said.

A universal basic income, as it's known, is a cash payment distributed to residents irrespective of their employment status.

Further, there are other reasons for cash handouts, according to Branson.

“I think with artificial intelligence coming along, there needs to be a basic income,” said Branson.

Gelles asked whether that's because robots will replace human jobs. “Because of job displacement?” Gelles asked.

“I think AI will result in there being less hours in the day that people are going to need to work,” Branson said. “You know, three-day workweeks and four-day weekends. Then we’re going to need companies trying to entertain people during those four days, and help people make sure that they’re paid a decent amount of money for much shorter work time.”

Microsoft co-founder Bill Gates has also said that AI will eventually mean less time spent working.

"[C]ertainly we can look forward to the idea that vacations will be longer at some point," Gates told FOX Business Network at the World Economic Forum in January.

Machine learning and artificial intelligence will make humans more productive, says Gates, which is generally a good thing.

"The purpose of humanity is not just to sit behind a counter and sell things. More free time is not a terrible thing," he said.

The interview with The New York Times published Friday is not the first time Branson has talked about automation necessitating a universal basic income.

"With the acceleration of [artificial intelligence] and other new technology ... the world is changing fast," Branson wrote on his blog in August.

"A lot of exciting new innovations are going to be created, which will generate a lot of opportunities and a lot of wealth, but there is a real danger it could also reduce the amount of jobs," he said.

"This will make experimenting with ideas like basic income even more important in the years to come."

A report from the McKinsey Global Institute confirms the idea that automation will cause major disruption to the job market globally. By 2030, 75 million workers around the globe will need to change occupational category due to automation, according to the December 2017 study, and 400 million jobs could be potentially displaced. The McKinsey Global estimates are based on analysis of 46 countries that include 90 percent of global gross domestic product and a mid level pace of adoption of automation.

Yeah, that will motivate slackers and lazy fucks to work hard to advance themselves.
As long as you put up the money, Richard.

Billionaires are always so willing to help the poor with everyone else's money. The solution to income inequality is redistribution of wealth - but he'll only give up his if the rest of us give up ours.

He needs to step up and give all his money away except what he needs for a basic middle class existence - then he can lecture me about what a disgrace it is that there are poor people in a world full of material wealth. Until he does that, he's just virtue-signaling. As Dinesh D'Souza says, if you're advocating a moral duty for society but you're not willing to do it unless everyone else does it too, then you're just a preening hypocrite. If he really believes that his immense wealth is immoral when there are poor people around him, then how is keeping it any less immoral just because other wealthy people are holding on to their money. They are either all immoral or they are not. And if they are all immoral, why can't he set an example of morality and give his money away first. Maybe he will convince other billionaires to do the same thing and start a movement. Until he does that, he can save his lectures.

quote:

Originally posted by ChicagoSigMan:
Billionaires are always so willing to help the poor with everyone else's money. .

If I were a billionaire - I'd gladly give away $800 Mil and struggle through life on my paltry remaining $200 Mil.

These guys are nuts. Don't see them giving up the yachts, jets or private islands anytime soon.

And just to clarify - I do not begrudge anyone their wealth - I love capitalism.

Just don't like getting lectured by rich socialists who will never sacrifice what they want others to.


-----------------------------

If you divided all the wealth in the world equally amongst all the people in the world, within 5 years or so, the Bransons, Gates, Buffetts, Trumps etc. guys would have it mostly back, because they have the skills and work ethics to do it. Spot an opportunity, work very hard, no distractions, never quit, etc.

And here I thought he was going to give away all his money except $90K for the next 5 years then cut it back to $50K all while moving into a $200K home...

Isn't there a phrase in the Bible about teaching a man how to fish....

Just more liberal elite hypocrisy. All BS.

Go fuck yourself Branson

Wasn't that tried a while back? I know I received $300 extra when I filed my taxes one year.

quote:

Originally posted by nojoy:
Isn't there a phrase in the Bible about teaching a man how to fish....

Also,

quote:

The poor you will always have with you, but you will not always have me.

quote:

Originally posted by nojoy:
Isn't there a phrase in the Bible about teaching a man how to fish....

Is that the phrase that goes: "Teach a man how to fish and he'll sit in a boat and drink beer all day".

At least his name fits. He's a dick for sure.

As soon as I get his $1M wire transfer to my checking account, I will take him seriously.

I love this part

quote:

”I think AI will result in there being less hours in the day that people are going to need to work,” Branson said. “You know, three-day workweeks and four-day weekends.

Right... AI is going to dig ditches, mow yards, cut peoples hair, cook food and all the other manual jobs there are in this world. I can just see software flipped burgers at McDonald’s now.

Richard Branson is simply another out of touch elite, liberal, progressive democrat hack with one wet dream after another....
This is the same sad story of the democrats....everything for free on someone else's dime.
Furthermore, we already have lots of people on distributed monthly payments in all types of payments and free giveaways.

Won't work. Those things that make and keep people poor will still be there. How about we solve air pollution by installing giant fans to blow it all into space?

Hmmph.

In Oz, we already do just that - hand out free cash for benefits and to the unemployed.

If you are single, no children, per fortnight (every two weeks) the maximum payable as a Newstart allowance is AUD$545.80; about US$400.

We call it the 'dole'- As in 'distribution of charitable gifts'.

Mr Branson, charity begins at home.

Perfect example: If Mr Branson redistributed 200,000.00 of his wealth to me, I'd spend it on guns. That is why I am poor.

quote:

Originally posted by jbcummings:
I love this part

quote:

”I think AI will result in there being less hours in the day that people are going to need to work,” Branson said. “You know, three-day workweeks and four-day weekends.

Right... AI is going to dig ditches, mow yards, cut peoples hair, cook food and all the other manual jobs there are in this world. I can just see software flipped burgers at McDonald’s now.

Actually robots can do most of those things now with minimal or zero human interaction. Mowing? They are coming into the market now, think Roombas for your lawn. Technology is already out there, now it's just making it more affordable. I have seen and worked on robots that can cook and flip burgers. That's actually old technology now, by at least 20 years. Digging ditches could be easily done with an AI controlled steam shovel, wouldn't be much to it.

I have seen robots that dispense pharmacy materials, do surgery, sort mail, build cars, paint cars, pack and ship anything from large products to eggs and bottles of beer, etc. The tech is exponential, and the only thing holding much of it back is better programming and AI type control.

Just think of what technology we have seen in the last 30 years, and try to imagine the next 30, which will advance exponentially faster. Most of us can remember when there was no internet, when computers were the size of rooms. 66 years from Wright Brothers to moon landing. 66 years...

All that being said, still... Fuck Richard Branson and his bullshit idea of income equality

quote:

“It’s a disgrace to see people sleeping on the streets with this material wealth all around them,” Branson said.

people will still be sleeping in the streets all the money will go in their arm up the nose or down the hatch