The panel dives into the Jobs Guarantee vs. Universal Basic Income debate, Nathan pitches randomized college admissions, and everyone shares their worst past belief.
The Panel:
- Briahna Joy Gray, contributing editor
- Oren Nimni, legal editor
- Lyta Gold, amusements editor
- Nathan J. Robinson, editor-in-chief
- Pete Davis, host
Further reading on the UBI:
Matt Bruenig on a social wealth fund and why a UBI already exists for the rich; James Surowiecki's case for free money; Dylan Matthews' critique of UBI critiques.
Further reading on the Jobs Guarantee: Jeff Spross' case for a federal jobs guarantee; Jacobin's case; Jefferson Cowie on the history of the jobs guarantee; Atossa Araxia Abrahamian on Modern Monetary Theory; Zach Carter's profile of Modern Monetary Theorist Stephanie Kelton.
Further reading contrasting UBI and Job's Guarantee: Jeff Spross on why not both?; Jonathan Malesic case against the dignity of work; Shannon Ikebe's case against the wrong kind of UBI; Alyssa Battistoni on the false promise of basic income.
Further reading on the case for randomized college admissions: Nathan's article; Freddie DeBoer's defense of the SAT; Barry Schwartz on admissions lotteries.
Here's a Voxsplainer on the Joy Reid controversy.
A small correction from the episode: Paul Goodman did not say the youth of Kansas should build a mountain; David Riesman said that and Paul Goodman said it was ridiculous. The correct quote is: "When in our country David Riesman urges the youth of Kansas to build a mountain so that they can have manly work and enjoy skiing, one does not know whether to cry or laugh or cheer." Learn more about Paul Goodman by watching the interesting documentary Paul Goodman Changed My Life.
Support Current Affairs by becoming a patron on our Patreon page. For the written form of Current Affairs — and to subscribe to the beautiful print magazine — visit: CurrentAffairs.org.