Is there any truth to this discussion about the American minimum wage not being high enough, or are people just spoiled, biased, and delusional?
I myself live on social benefits, and I have personally nothing to complain about. Despite being unemployed, I always end up underestimating my wealth. This is because I don't live like a celebrity. I rarely buy new clothes, I never go out to eat, I use a bicycle to get around, I don't get a brand new iPhone annually, I don't buy video games at launch, etc. Is it really that hard for average people to control their economy?
in america you need to pay 800 usd every month just for health insurance.
>>80284835
>Go to place of business
>Both you and your employer agree to a certain wage
>Government says you can't work there because you aren't paid enough
>"Why?"
>"Because you can't"
>mfw minimum wage here is ~9€
>>80284835
In the United States there are very few powerful unions that collectively bargain with employers for deemed fair wages unlike in Denmark.
So, the United States has allowed the government to act as a middle man concerning minimum wage. The issue becomes further complicated because businesses traditionally operate with the minimum amount of employees they can have for the most profitable productivity.
You therefore get this situation where populists argue for higher wages and most businesses simply readjust their books, give less hours, and things remain relatively stable. It thus becomes not really about what a fair minimum wage is, but how to overvalue labor that is being depressed.
Not even mentioning the fact that social programs tend to subsidize unlivable wages, and two bread earner households have become the norm which almost doubles the labor supply.
>>80284835
>are people just spoiled, biased, and delusional
Yes. The minimum wage is too high, not too low. Those who advocate a minimum wage live in a fantasy land where you can get something for nothing.
>>80285113
This. No minimum limit is better than a low minimum limit. It's the same with the age of consent. A country that sets the age at 11 is fucked up by implying that there is literally nothing wrong with fucking young teens, but a country that doesn't formally set the age of consent will provide this responsibility to the people who should be able to set their own reasonable standards.
You can work 40+ hours a week here and not be able to afford a one-room apartment, even in an area not considered to have a high cost-of-living.
People aren't spoiled, they're sick of slaving away for such little pay that they can't even afford to live independently.
So how do all these people live? Government handouts. The idiots here would rather pay for their living expenses with tax money, than have the corporations pay their slaves a reasonable wage.
(or an alternative like getting rid of the minimum wage but enacting basic income)
>>80286387
So, besides basic income, which could work, or could not work based on tons of different factors and hasn't really been implemented in a society that isn't constantly flooded with real money, what is there to be done?
>>80286592
As far as I see, with continued technological advancement killing jobs, increasing population, and greed, modern societies will have no choice but:
1) Collapse of society, massive civil unrest
2) Basic income or something like it
I see no other options.
>>80286900
Eventually, but I mean more in the sense of "What about today?"
>>80286900
>continued technological advancement killing jobs
This. Basic income is necessary unless you want to be prepared for a firefight everytime you leave your house to go to work because marauding bands of unemployed want to kill you just so they can eat. The nice part is, automation is a positive feedback loop, so we wouldn't have to suffer disgusting socialism for too long before we hit post-scarcity.
