We can all see it by now; if we wish to survive until 2050, we must develop alternative economic systems! As we watch old incompetent men burn down the world around us, they are also unwittingly destroying the monetary systems that have enabled them to get to those positions of power. Positions which should never have been attainable for such idiots!
Capitalism is already dying and the people who are killing it are the ones who will not survive without it: those who are building Artificial Intelligence. In the near future AI will be managing a majority of our jobs, so redefining our priorities and values will be essential.
While AI takes over our jobs, we as a society need to evolve by centering concrete, realistic and holistic values. Such as creativity, community, and personal growth instead of capitalistic growth, which is impossible on a planet with limited resources.
All of the above will need to replace the current profit-centred approach. That system has led us to the centre of the climate crisis and useless wars over scarce resources. Whatever happens, the profits have to go! So, as the society changes its course, the economic systems must be reshaped to support and reflect these changes.
This shift should lead to a world that is actually and evenly rich and fulfilling. A world where the essence of being human – connection, creativity, and sharing – is at the centre of it all. How can we achieve this in practice? Well, let’s imagine this:
Alternative Economic Systems Because AI Doesn’t Pay Tax
As technology takes over more and more of our jobs, the economic framework needs to adjust significantly. This is simply because our current capitalistic system revolves around these core principles:
- Companies hire people and pay them salaries
- From these salaries people pay tax
- This tax money provides people with education, healthcare, infrastructure, public services, etc.
- The salaries are used to pay for housing, food, entertainment, hospitality, travels, etc.
Summa summarum: people pay for products and services that businesses provide by hiring people and pay them salaries that they then use to purchase products and services. It’s a never-ending cycle… Except now it’s ending as the workforce is replaced by AI.
As people lose their jobs they don’t pay tax and can’t afford to buy products and services. This means that the entire economic system comes to a halt because AI doesn’t pay tax or buy anything. Which is why we need to start developing alternative economic systems now, before it’s too late!
In addition, we must reclaim our self-worth without a job, our real identity that exists in actual reality and isn’t tied to work. As employment opportunities become scarcer everywhere, here are potential changes that we need to start considering yesterday:
Starting with Universal Basic Income (UBI)
To be honest, I think this is only a matter of time, it’s inevitable. The idea behind Universal Basic Income is that every citizen receives a regular, unconditional sum of money, regardless of their employment status. Many European countries have already tested UBI, and the results have been encouraging.
One of the first countries to test UBI was Finland. Their test showed that instead of working more (which will be impossible anyway) people focused on doing things that brought them joy and a sense of fulfillment. You know, that feeling that your job has never given you!
They learned new skills, spent more time with their families and took better care of themselves. Doesn’t sound too shabby, does it? This is all achievable with Universal Basic Income because:
- It provides a safety net and as such reduces stress levels significantly
- The effect on reducing poverty and inequality is undeniable
- It’s known to encourage risk-taking in entrepreneurship and creative pursuits without the fear of financial ruin
- It obviously stimulates local economies as people can afford goods and services again.
As alternative economic systems go, I would say UBI is the first step, the Square One.
How Will Taxation Work?
After we’ve ensured national security by providing all citizens with a basic income we can start tackling the bigger questions, like tax. As we transition from an income-based tax system to AI and automated businesses, we need a whole new approach to taxation. The tax has to be moved from workers’ shoulders onto AI and automated businesses.
In practice this means that since businesses now make a lot more profit because their labor costs are basically gone, there’s a lot to tax there too. As alternative economic systems go, here are couple points on how we can go about it:
- AI and corporations should be taxed based on profits generated through automation
- Implementing taxes on data usage, digital services, and algorithm performances must provide new revenue streams
- Funds raised need to be funnelled to support social services, infrastructure, and educational initiatives.
As the King of All Music said: The show must go on! Whether stakeholders and the undeserving billionaires liked it or not. And the less they like it the better!
Let’s Bring in a Gift Economy
A lot of unlearning needs to happen as the job markets shift faster than we can keep up. But no matter how painful and inconvenient, this is what’s happening and you have to accept it! You not liking it will not stop it. And maybe accepting it becomes easier if we add some more positive nuances to these alternative economic systems.
A gift economy is based on an idea that emphasises generosity over traditional monetary transactions. In practice it means exchanging goods and services freely without expecting anything in return.
As we’ve been brainwashed to think that everything, even relationships should be transactional, this is where your unlearning journey should start. Take small steps and start adjusting your brain towards concepts like generosity, collaboration and community.
A gift economy works when it fosters community interdependence and reduces the focus on material wealth. This encourages collaboration and sharing of resources, which in turn aligns with an interconnected social mindset. A complete shift away from capitalism!
Learn to Value Non-Monetary Contributions
This is a good continuation to the gift economy: a complete brain reset. So far we’ve been worshipping a valueless asset, money, but now we need to turn away from that as we implement alternative economic systems. It might sound scary at first, but actually we’ll just be replacing money with things and matters that actually have actual value.
A simple example of a matter that has actual value, unlike money, is your contribution to your society and/or community. We need to establish systems that recognize and reward voluntary and communal work through, for example, social credits. This would:
- Encourage wider participation in community service and non-profit activities (especially as profit is no longer a thing)
- Create an alternative valuation of individuals and their capabilities based on their contributions to society rather than traditional employment metrics.
Now, there’s a lot of space here to get this terribly wrong! We know the powers that be: extremely greedy, incompetent and insecure old men who will do everything they can to oppress everyone around them. So, there must be restrictions that are implemented along with this system.
Let’s Support Cooperative Business Models
Yeah, I know many of you are already thinking that alternative economic systems = communism. If so, I suggest you educate yourself on what the concept of communism is VERSUS how russia created an epic fail of it. So no, russia is not an example of communism, they fucked it up to an incredible degree.
And no, China is also not a communist country, it’s a trading superpower, which is the opposite of communism. Also, unlike what these dictatorship-driven countries chose to do, communism does not mean that freedom of speech would need to be suppressed. The few examples we have of communism are all shit examples, so let’s get that idiocy out of the way.
What we must do in the near future is shifting our focus from profit-driven corporations to cooperatives owned and managed by employees or local stakeholders. Yes, this is in accordance with the original communistic ideology: unionising and giving the power to the people. See how russia and China failed in this?
Regardless of whether you can handle such a shift, the obvious benefits speak for themselves:
- Ensuring that profits benefit the community rather than distant, often foreign shareholders.
- Fostering a more equitable distribution of wealth and promoting holistic community development.
If you’re against all of that you’re against your own human rights and personal freedoms. As such, I’m not sure you should be alive… Clearly evolution no longer works if such weak substance as you has been able to survive to adulthood.
Final Thoughts on Alternative Economic Systems
Since AI doesn’t pay tax or buy anything we must start thinking about and adapting to alternative economic systems. Capitalism is already dying, which may sound scary. But if you stop and think about it for a minute, you’ll realise that thank goodness and good riddance!
There’s a reason why we’ve all been so bloody miserable lately despite our convenient and privileged lives: capitalism. The unsustainable system depends on our misery, on wealth that’s carved out from our backs leaving us mentally and physically exhausted and broken. And broke! Because no matter how much you work, you won’t be able to afford to live for much longer.
Maybe this system benefited our grandparents but it certainly hasn’t benefited and will not benefit us. So, shall we create and engage in alternative systems before this corrupt pile of shit of a system spits us out by force? If we do it together we can only succeed! Because there’s power in numbers ♥
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