Ask HN: Can we achieve total self-sufficiency with today´s technology?

1 points by zehnfischer 10 years ago · 3 comments · 1 min read

I have been a supporter of basic income for some time now, but lately I started to have some doubts about its long term feasibility. Without getting into too much detail, it is mostly because even if you have an universal basic income, the individual and communities still depend on the good will of the political system. Let´s say we have a president Trump and he decides something stupid, it could entirely obliterate or at least minimize the gained value of independence (i.e. through hyper inflation). So instead of thinking about that idea, can we assemble a set of existing technology that would allow everyone to cover the basic needs of life?

Based on the definition of Max Neef the fundamentals human needs are:

-subsistence (i.e. food) -protection (i.e. housing) -affection -understanding -participation -leisure -creation -identity -freedom

I imagine achieving this could allow a group of individuals to accomplish independence, self sufficiency and open new ways organizing life and structure a society. A precondition would be that the toolset aims for maximum independence from existing states/ governments. While we might have not make it all the way, how far are we down that road as of today?