The first time I heard about Andrew Yang was on NPR quite a while ago, but recently his name popped up again on my radar as he was invited to participate of a conversation with Sam Harris. I'm sure most know who Sam Harris is, but if you don't you've heard some of his ideas for sure. He is one of the original controversial thinkers of recent times along side the late Christopher Hitchens and other authors. img src

I try to keep an open mind on these things, as I'm fully aware that is absolutely no way I've discovered ultimate truth. Listening to opinions from people that you disagree with, ideologically that is, is probably a good way to invest your time, as no one has ever benefited from living inside an echo chamber.

It's important for me to say that I'm not convinced just yet that UBI is the way forward. However, I do believe that Andrew Yang is not wrong on his perception of the problems to come. In other words, he has effectively identified the iceberg we are sure to hit as a society.

Automation is already happening, and we are but a few years away from changing an industry that is sure to echo into many of the economic structures of our very society. Self driving cars might be a fascinating idea, but self driving trucks would be the end of the Trucking industry and the millions of people that currently work in it, or in an industry that services them.

Do I think Andrew Stands a chance? Not really. But then again, I also thought trump had absolutely no chance of winning and here we are. According to this article he is 43 at the moment and has intentions to run as a Democrat for the 2020 race. It's very hard for me to imagine those ingredients resulting in a healthy meal, sort of speak.

I will grant you that some of his ideas are easy to dismiss. They seem to utopian to be taken serious. But, as with many things, it's good to broaden our understanding and be open to listening attentively to those who are proposing new ideas. Maybe, just maybe there is something of value we might fail to recognize as we default into our ideological defense mechanisms.

What are your thoughts on the matter?

Do you think the fears of an automated society, the disappearance of labor as we know it today and the obvious mental health issues to arise from such changes are too exaggerated? Or do you think these conversations are necessary, they are effectively recognising the future that is sure to come.

I side with the latter. I do not know the answer, at least not at the moment. But, I don't see how we are not headed head first into the problem Andrew describes.

But let me know your thoughts on this...