Why Work When You Don’t Have To?

Simple enough damn question. For most, the answer is, I gots bills to pay. But what happens when you’re livin’ van life on the cheap and bills ain’t no issue no more? When you’re living in a van down by the river, what the fuck you gonna do with all that time?

What If You Didn’t Need to Work?

When your van life expenses are down to $500 to $600 a month and the credit monkey’s off your back, what next? That kinda money’s easy to come by. And if you got some passive income going, why it’s even easier. Thanks to luck and plannin’, that’s where Vanholio is now. Strange territory.

Let’s get more philosophical for a second. Let’s say the fuckin’ robots take most a our jobs in the next few decades. It’ll put a lot a people outta work. And this time it’s lookin’ like maybe new bullshit jobs won’t replace ‘em.

One thing bein’ discussed by big shots is givin’ every man, woman, and child a Basic Income. Free money to each’n’every citizen, just for bein’ alive!  I shit you not! Think of it as a dividend on the GDP. Won’t be much, but it’ll keep ya fed. Common number thrown around is $10,000 a year per person. Bet lot’s more would take up van life then!

Even as we speak, the ideal’s bein’ tested smalltime in the USA and around the world.

Aha! you say, People won’t work ‘lessen they have to! Folks’ll get lazy and sink into vice and depredation.

But will they? Do we work just ‘cause the creditor is at the door in wolf’s clothing, huffin’ and puffin’ and ready to blow the house down? And is work just the efforts that’s paid in the market? I ain’t so sure …

8 Reasons We’ll Work Despite Basic Income

Vanholio contends that we work for a whole lotta reasons besides keepin’ food on the table. There’s pleasure in work, paid or not. And if’n we had Basic Income or some kinda financial independence, we’d be doin’ work that gives us pleasure – like a pig diggin’ in shit. Don’t matter whether he’s hungry.

1. Boredom

OK, this don’t exactly sound like a pleasure, but hear me out. Thing is, people like to keep busy. We go plumb crazy if’n we ain’t got nothin’ ta do. So we’ll find somethin’ to do, trust me. Best if we keep busy doin' creative or useful things, though, rather’n sin.

In fact, keepin’ busy is good for our health. Retired folks know that. Thems that keeps busy have a good life. Thems that don’t complain all the time and die earlier.

2. Caring

Did your momma and daddy wipe your ass and teach ya manners ‘cause someone paid 'em? Hell no! In these days, it ain’t even like you was bred for extra farm hands. Nope, it was love, charity in the Christian sense.

The fact is, people need people, and that ain’t gonna change. We might build robots to do some a the domestic gruntwork for thems that need help, but the robots ain’t gonna love ‘em.

And there’s a lot a callin's that are about lovin’ one another: counselors, parents, teachers, preachers, animal rescuers, soldiers, massage therapists … Oh hell, you get the point.

3. Status

Better or worse, humans is hierarchical critters. We always work to better ourselves in the peckin’ order. So whether it’s for money or recognitions, we’re gonna work. Ain’t no one hardly’s gonna be happy bein’ another nobody.

4. Idealism

Saw a general testifyin’ before Congress about recruitin’ more hot IT guys to protect against hackers. Congressman asked the general, “How are we going to recruit more top IT professionals when they can make a lot more money in Silicon Valley?”

The general responded, “We’ll recruit those who are attracted by a sense of mission.”

Lotsa people take on work outta idealism more than a check. I mean, are soldiers really paid enough to risk a bullet? Hell no! Most take on the mission because they believe in American ideals.

5. Luxury

While a few are natural minimalists, most people like their toys. Basic Income ain’t gonna get you an ATV, Buddy! Most don’t think life’s worth livin’ if they can’t have a little somethin’ extra. That could be anythin’ from a chocolate bar to seein’ the goddamn Taj Majal! Whatever extra folks crave, they’ll work for it.

6. Play

Humans is creative. Whether we get paid or not, we’re gonna do what we’ve always done: art, music, storytellin’, sports, clothes, buildin’, workin’ on cars, cookin’, and a million other things. If anything’, people will do more when they’re free of bullshit jobs suckin’ their time up. We’ll all benefit, whether or not cash changes hands.

7. Curiosity

What drives scientists, engineers, and scholars of all stripes? It’s discovery, learnin’ something new. Hell, it’s what drives Vanholio to travel! I gotta see what’s in the next valley. Curiosity'll always drive people to make discoveries and solve problems. And problems that need solvin’ ain’t ever goin’ away neither.

8. Self-Betterment

Who’s 100 percent satisfied with themselves? A few potheads and retards maybe? Not many. People’ll keep busy with learnin’ new languages, new skills, gettin’ fit and strong, buildin’ better relationships, and a million other ways to become better people.

How Would You Keep Busy?

Are you financially independent? Workin’ to get that way? Retired? What do you do or plan to do to keep busy? Will you try to make money off your efforts or not? Comment below!

Hey, Beer Vanholio! He works hard on this blog.

Also See ...

I Caught the Car, Now What!?
About Basic Income (BIEN)

8 Basic Income Experiments to Watch Out for in 2017 (MSN)
Basic Income Could Be the Safety Net Mistreated Employees Need (Big Think)