What would you do if you had the opportunity to be in a basic income experiment?

What if it weren’t a lucky break for a few, but a government policy for all?

"It is a cruel jest to say to a bootless man that he ought to lift himself by his own bootstraps... Now one of the answers it seems to me, is a guaranteed annual income, a guaranteed minimum income for all people, and for our families of our country."

Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.

Common hopes for UBI:
- Enables pursuit of passions
- Increases resilience to challenges
- Redistribution of wealth

Common concerns about UBI:
- Cost of implementation
- Removes incentive to work
- Redistribution of wealth

What do you think?

Bootstraps, a docuseries | Substack Exploring the human experience of Universal Basic Income (UBI) through open discussion and a docuseries following 11 households whose lives were transformed by a groundbreaking 2.5-year basic income experiment. Click to read Bootstraps, a docuseries, a Substack publication.

We’re on a journey to explore the heart of UBI.

Our docuseries follows 11 U.S. households participating in a groundbreaking basic income experiment, redefining what it means to build a better future on their own terms.

Visit bootstrapstv.com to follow their stories 💛

If you had the freedom to be independent of and unbeholden to any other person or employer for a source of life-sustaining income, the freedom from fear of homelessness and hunger, what would you dare to pursue?

Does everyone "deserve" money as a birthright?

Launched in 2022 by Mayor Brandon Scott, the Baltimore Young Families Success Fund (BYFSF) provided 130 young parents with $1,000 monthly payments for two years.

Participants reported better finances, increased educational interest, lower stress, and more stable homes.

Similar to the phrase of “pulling yourself up by the bootstraps,” the myth of the starving artist is a cultural narrative that romanticizes financial struggle as a rite of passage towards success.

To achieve success, all you need is personal grit and to try a little harder…

The Alaska Permanent Fund Dividend (PFD), established in 1976 to convert a non-renewable resource into a renewable financial resource, provides a universal annual payout to every state resident.

These payments have fluctuated, ranging from $331 (1984) to $3,269 (2008).

UBI Calculator A tool for American individuals and families to calculate the effects of universal basic income (UBI) on their household finances and on the American economy. Whether you're curious about what various possible versions of UBI - including Andrew Yang's 'Freedom Dividend' - would mean for you and your...

The UBI Calculator is as simple to use as it is to share. These estimates are a powerful way for you to start exploring the possibilities of universal basic income.

Check it out: www.ubicalculator.com

For part 1, we focused on four examples of basic income trials in the U.S. For part 2, we’ll cover four international examples of basic income trails in Kenya, Finland, South Korea, and the Marshall Islands.

💛💛💛

Read our latest post bootstrapstv.com (link in bio)

Would you pursue art as a career if you had a basic income? If so, what type of art?

The Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED), the U.S.'s first mayor-led guaranteed income trial, gave 125 low-income residents $500 monthly for two years, with no strings attached.

Participants reported steadier incomes, better job prospects, and improved well-being.

"Devoting yourself to the life of a 'starving artist' is a lot less risky if your family has enough money to make sure you don't actually starve."
- Kristen Bahler (Money)

Read more on bootstrapstv.com (link in bio)

The case for universal basic income in post-pandemic Canada In 1974, Canada conducted a landmark basic income experiment in a rural town in Manitoba. Now, decades later, as countries struggle with high unemployment ra...

Video #7 to add to your lunchtime YouTube watch list:

💻 The Case for Universal Basic Income in Post-Pandemic Canada (Global News)
⏰ 7 min 56 sec
🪙 For anyone wondering how UBI works in our post-pandemic world, particularly in Canada

https://youtu.be/Xn98377z7S4

Why the U.S. Should Provide Universal Basic Income America is the richest civilization in history. Why, then, are our living standards so low compared to those of other wealthy democracies?“There’s a big idea...

Video #6 to add to your lunchtime YouTube watch list:

💻 Why the U.S. Should Provide Universal Basic Income (The Atlantic)
⏰ 3 min 20 sec
🪙 For anyone wondering if the concept of UBI could even work in the United States

https://youtu.be/RnWsPIgl8_s

Poverty isn't a lack of character; it's a lack of cash | Rutger Bregman "Ideas can and do change the world," says historian Rutger Bregman, sharing his case for a provocative one: guaranteed basic income. Learn more about the ide...

Video #5 to add to your lunchtime YouTube watch list:

💻 Poverty isn’t a lack of character; it’s a lack of cash | Rutger Bregman (TED)
⏰ 14 min 58 sec
🪙 For anyone who loves a TED talk

https://youtu.be/ydKcaIE6O1k

The case for a universal basic income | Free Lunch on Film The coronavirus pandemic has opened the door to radical economic reform, argues FT columnist Martin Sandbu. A no-strings regular cash transfer to everyone co...

Video #4 to add to your lunchtime YouTube watch list:

💻 The case for a universal basic income | Free Lunch on Film (Financial Times)
⏰ 19 min 44 sec
🪙 A great watch overall. Best part was the inclusion of interviews from Alaska Dividend recipients.

https://youtu.be/1U1D7nmcnZ0

Basic income, explained We know how to end poverty. So why don't we? Read more about the simplest plan to end poverty, a universal basic income: http://www.vox.com/2014/9/8/6003359/...

Video #3 to add to your lunchtime YouTube watch list:

💻 Basic Income, explained (Vox)
⏰ 2 min 17 sec
🪙 For anyone saying, “I don’t have time to watch these videos.” You can watch this video while you wait for your food to heat up.

https://youtu.be/c9xVWOfXW7U

The Monsters, Inc. Argument for Basic Income How to convert an economy based on fear to one based on joy by Scott Santens. Video Edit by Philippe Chabot. Based on a Ken Burak talk. Article : http://www....

Video #2 to add to your lunchtime YouTube watch list:

💻 The Monsters, Inc. Argument for Basic Income (UBIVisuals)
⏰ 11 min 23 sec
🪙 If you love Monsters, Inc. or cultural analysis on the movies we watch, this is for you.

https://youtu.be/fTZ2A_GknZM

Universal Basic Income Explained – Free Money for Everybody? UBI What is UBI? How would free money change our lives.OUR CHANNELS▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀▀German Channel: https://kgs.link/youtubeDE Spanish Channel: https://...

Video #1 to add to your lunchtime YouTube watch list:

💻 Universal Basic Income Explained (Kurzgesagt - In a Nutshell)
⏰ 10 min 5 sec
🪙 Concise and easy to understand. Quick watch packed with information. And who doesn’t love fun animations?

https://youtu.be/kl39KHS07Xc

Should your job become a big part of your identity?

Why do you think wealthy people still worry about money?

If the average person spends approximately 90,000 hours at work, when do you have the chance to explore who you are outside of your job?

A non-exhaustive list of recommendations to learn more about universal basic income (UBI).

We even added watch times, so you can better plan out which video(s) to watch during your lunch break.

Read more (or should we say watch) at www.bootstrapstv.com (link in bio)

Should artists get a basic income (i.e. a regular, unconditional cash payment, regardless of their income or employment status)?

While the concept of basic income is ancient, the first major U.S. trial began with the New Jersey Income Maintenance Experiment in 1968. Many city-level and large-scale studies continued into the 21st century, both in the U.S. and internationally.

Read more at www.bootstrapstv.com (link in bio).

If you’re curious, hopeful, or even skeptical of universal basic income (UBI), let’s connect and talk about it!

Online discussions about UBI are filled with many doubting people's ability to spend the money "correctly."

What if most people are like you and would seize the opportunity to make positive change in your life?

What if most people are good?

Rather than focusing the generalizations of others, we are more interested in hearing your perspective on UBI based on your personal story, just like the people featured in our upcoming docuseries. 💛

So, what would you do if you had universal basic income as a financial foundation to build on?