Universal Basic Income & The Designer’s Lens

It’s indisputable that we live in a time quite distinct from others. We’ve transitioned from mass physical labour to mass computerised labour, and now, we’re about to make another transition: A leap towards critical, design thinking in wake of automation freeing our mental and creative capabilities.

How’s this possible? While many, by this time, are certain that automation will replace their jobs, or at least certain aspects of it, what they’re not that certain of is where all of this is headed.

Universal Basic Income

Elon Musk, business magnate, investor, engineer, and inventor (the list goes on), and others within the Futurist movement propose an idea which just might work: Universal Basic Income.

Now, Elon Musk is certainly not the first to propose such a radically innovative idea, but he’s the man with klout; the man who’s championing getting the human race to Mars, so that’s why Universal Basic Income’s big news to mainstream media, all of a sudden.

As it’s his field, Musk claims transportation will be the first industry to be automated at scale, leaving 15–20% of the world’s workforce unemployed within 20 years. That’s a lot of unemployed people, quite abruptly, and that’s one industry.

What’s to be done? Musk and others suggest Universal Basic Income, implemented at government level, globally. According to Musk, governments will have no choice, but the jury’s still out on that one, with many disputing Universal Basic Income, saying there’s simply not enough capital to sustain a population growing at the rate it is.

Despite objections, the concept of Universal Basic Income, however, has gained traction, with several experiments planned or underway throughout the world.

So how much is Universal Basic Income? Based on various experiments around the globe, the working figure is somewhere between $1000 — $2500 per month, depending on the country.

I asked a couple of people what they’d do if their job were automated and if they’d continue working if Universal Basic Income was available to all:

Software Developer

“Automating parts of my job is part of what I do! And yes, it’s getting there. My job can be automated to a large extent. Not quite all the way, yet.

That’s around R13 500 per month (Universal Basic Income). This is more than our minimum wage but I’m not sure if I’ll be able to live off that. Perhaps if we had a decent public transport system and I don’t need to pay off a car in addition to the rest, or need to commute anywhere, I would be able get by on that.

If my basic needs were met, I’d do pretty much what I do except explore topics that interest me more in depth.”

Industrial Designer

“For the most part my job could be automated. I would continue doing the work I do for myself in my spare time as well as focus on art, adventurous activities, growing my own food, be involved in teaching or the community. When it comes to Universal Basic Income I would still be creating and making extra money, so it should work out.”

From these comments and others’ insights, online, it’s indicative that the introduction of automation and Universal Basic Income have their perks, but leave us with the question: “But what are we gonna do now?”

Luckily, most people seem to have an answer for this: “Do what I like or what I’ve always done, just with more passion, drive and attention.”

The Designer’s Lens

This, of course, is a great starting point. If we’re left to our own devices, the human race will still be compelled to create, to do: we’re not an idle species.

So, amongst all this activity, where do we direct our focus? Essentially, we’ll be creating The World as We Know It 2.0, so if you know better, you gotta do better, right? Right.

That’s where the designer’s lens and critical thinking becomes crucial. How do we redesign our world, using the jobs that are left and necessary? How do we identify and encourage the development of skills of the future? How do we ensure we won’t make the same mistakes twice? How do we ensure we don’t make mistakes, now? How do we teach children of the future? How might we understand the purpose of human beings’ existence?

With our time and minds freed, our basic needs taken care of and human beings doing what we love or what matters, the questions of our true capabilities and purpose are endless and the potential for a new world not so far-fetched.

So, in light of developments pointing towards potentially becoming a more mindful, self-aware species, I’d like to challenge you to think about your job and what value you’d bring to the world if it were automated or if Universal Basic Income were available to all.

What would you do? Why would you do it? For who would you do it?

The time has come to think about purpose, beyond profit.