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A review by fipah
Give People Money: The Simple Idea to Solve Inequality and Revolutionise Our Lives by Annie Lowrey
3.0
Um okay 3-ish stars = I liked it but
This is very Quartz-journalism vibes. The author is a journalist. I am happy to learn about statistics, how neoliberal capitalism impinges on human lives and spreads suffering, see examples... in this way, I did learn some things and I do not regret that.
It is indeed an easy read. However, often I was very aggravated that the author always defends UBI only/mainly through the lens of economics, i.e. how we have the data that because of this and that the economy would thrive even more. And I am like "ok, what about human suffering? human lives? what if it was not the best model for prosperity? you would not defend it? and? ethics?" Why always through the lens of economics?
In the end of the book, I agree with other reviewers, she lost me with stating unsubstantiated claims that UBI might not be feasible after all because it did not work out in superhero movies and fiction books. What. O.o
All in all I felt she argued very pro-UBI though she tried to appear neutral, and she did use a lot of data, but then she felt the need to argue against UBI as well to keep it balanced, but never substantiated those against claims on data as much as she did with the pro-UBI data. Weird.
Again, it was very journalistic – often the atrocities of our current system and how work and labour function were reported with... not so much levity (that would be an overstatement on my side), but in my opinion without enough weight, the weight which you can find in the work of [a:Naomi Klein|419|Naomi Klein|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1494619590p2/419.jpg] or [a:Noam Chomsky|2476|Noam Chomsky|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1485473965p2/2476.jpg] who always stress the ethics of our system more than the economic side of it.
I am looking forward to reading [b:Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work|25387807|Inventing the Future Postcapitalism and a World Without Work|Nick Srnicek|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1432746950l/25387807._SY75_.jpg|43972243], I hope this will be a better read.
This is very Quartz-journalism vibes. The author is a journalist. I am happy to learn about statistics, how neoliberal capitalism impinges on human lives and spreads suffering, see examples... in this way, I did learn some things and I do not regret that.
It is indeed an easy read. However, often I was very aggravated that the author always defends UBI only/mainly through the lens of economics, i.e. how we have the data that because of this and that the economy would thrive even more. And I am like "ok, what about human suffering? human lives? what if it was not the best model for prosperity? you would not defend it? and? ethics?" Why always through the lens of economics?
In the end of the book, I agree with other reviewers, she lost me with stating unsubstantiated claims that UBI might not be feasible after all because it did not work out in superhero movies and fiction books. What. O.o
All in all I felt she argued very pro-UBI though she tried to appear neutral, and she did use a lot of data, but then she felt the need to argue against UBI as well to keep it balanced, but never substantiated those against claims on data as much as she did with the pro-UBI data. Weird.
Again, it was very journalistic – often the atrocities of our current system and how work and labour function were reported with... not so much levity (that would be an overstatement on my side), but in my opinion without enough weight, the weight which you can find in the work of [a:Naomi Klein|419|Naomi Klein|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1494619590p2/419.jpg] or [a:Noam Chomsky|2476|Noam Chomsky|https://images.gr-assets.com/authors/1485473965p2/2476.jpg] who always stress the ethics of our system more than the economic side of it.
I am looking forward to reading [b:Inventing the Future: Postcapitalism and a World Without Work|25387807|Inventing the Future Postcapitalism and a World Without Work|Nick Srnicek|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1432746950l/25387807._SY75_.jpg|43972243], I hope this will be a better read.