Top 10 Basic Income Videos of 2017

I've done a top ten list of basic income articles for both 2016 & 2017, but this is the first time I've put together a top ten list of basic income videos. There were so many new UBI videos created this year (you can watch most of them here), but in my opinion, the following are the ones that absolutely must be watched and shared widely.

10) 'Capitalism will always create bullshit jobs' | Owen Jones meets Rutger Bregman

After the publication of Rutger Bregman's book, Utopia for Realists in March of this year, he sat down with Owen Jones of The Guardian for this great interview.

9) Robots Will Take Our Jobs - HOW TO SURVIVE - What is the Universal Basic Income? by SourceFedNerd hosted by Filup Molina

Clocking in at 22 minutes, Filup Molina does a comprehensive job of describing technological unemployment and UBI as a response to it.

8) Social Justice, Safe Spaces, and Universal Basic Income (Dr. Mike Munger Pt. 3) | The Rubin Report

I consider this a must-bookmark video. Any time a conservative or libertarian suggests UBI is somehow leftist or about government control, consider sharing this with them. As libertarian economist Mike Munger says in this interview, "We're already giving people money. Let's do it in a way that's more efficient and increases liberty." Skip to 18m45s if you want to get right to the UBI discussion.

7) Mark Zuckerberg At Harvard: We Should Explore Ideas Like Universal Basic Income | CNBC

This was a big moment in the UBI movement that will go down in the history books. That Mark Zuckerberg, one of the richest people in the world, would openly endorse UBI in a major speech, and in a framing about the potential for UBI to better enable people to find their purpose, and that he and those graduating from Harvard should pay for it, was a historic moment.

6) Automated Economy Explained: Mechanics of a Basic Income | The Rest of Us

Unlike the other videos on this list so far, this one was accomplished by just one person, and I think that's pretty amazing. Consider supporting The Rest of Us on Patreon to enable the creation of more such videos.

5) Basic Income: The "Free Money" Experiments | Moving Upstream | Wall Street Journal

This is a good recent overview of the UBI experiments, and the fact it's from the Wall Street Journal is in itself pretty notable.

4) Group gives cash aid to rural Kenyans, then studies its effects | PBS NewsHour

It was great seeing all the coverage of GiveDirectly's UBI experiment that began this year in Kenya and will continue for the next 12 years. This piece by PBS involves a visit and interviews with recipients. Also, if you'd like to directly support this incredible program, please consider donating to GiveDirectly.

3) Basic Income for the U.S. (and Basic Income for Canada) | Adam Animates

This video was actually inspired by one of the articles I wrote back in 2015. After reaching out to me about doing a video, Adam hand-animated this through all of 2016, finally finishing it this year. I wish this video had far more views than it does because of how good it is, and how much work it took by just one person doing something of great meaning to them in their spare time.

2) Universal Basic Income Explained – Free Money for Everybody? UBI | Kurzgesagt

Kurzgesagt is one of my favorite channels on YouTube so I was extremely excited to discover they were working on creating a UBI video as a follow-up to their automation video. I was even more excited to be asked to assist with and give feedback on the script before the animation work began. With over 2 million views to date, this is now the single most watched video about basic income on all of YouTube. Let's get this to 10 million views!

1)  Poverty isn't a lack of character; it's a lack of cash | Rutger Bregman | TED 2017

It's only fitting for Rutger to both begin and end this list. This TED talk he gave this year has been viewed over 1.6 million times on TED's site, and resulted in a standing ovation by those attending. He nails point after point, and in 15 minutes gives one of the best talks about basic income of any I've seen. Everyone needs to watch this video.

Bonus video: My keynote about unconditional basic income at Øredev 2017 in Sweden. This is almost an hour long, but I also try to include just about everything.

Did you enjoy reading this? Please click the subscribe button and also consider making a monthly pledge in support of my daily advocacy of basic income for all.