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Would universal basic income really make people happy?

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The future of work
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  • Ephrat Livni
By Ephrat Livni

Senior reporter, law & politics, DC.

Published Last updated on This article is more than 2 years old.

It’s the year 2036. Cars drive themselves. Your house is run by an AI. You have a tiny device implanted in your hand, called a gram, which delivers everything to you—even more convenient than Amazon Prime. And a robot has your job. But you’ve got government-funded health care and basic income. Your needs are met.

Still, you’re miserable.

Welcome to the world of The Absolved, a new novel by Matthew Binder, published on Dec. 4 by Black Spot Press. It’s dystopian science fiction that takes place in a world that’s not so different from ours, yet is utterly distinct and pretty much stinks.

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