> One of the problems with basic income is that decouples work from income entirely
It does, but not entirely. You can still work for extra income. It only breaks the dependency in the other direction. And that's its strength.
The gig economy, while incredible and empowering, is also unstable and largely out of your control. You can have an influx of work at one moment, and near zero another. BI smooths this over by allowing you to survive during the dips. It also reduces the toxic stress contractors can experience even during a wave of work. When the gigs run out (and therefore, the income is less under BI--but not zero!), it gives you time to seek out new work without panicking.
> One of the problems with basic income is that decouples work from income entirely
It does, but not entirely. You can still work for extra income. It only breaks the dependency in the other direction. And that's its strength.
The gig economy, while incredible and empowering, is also unstable and largely out of your control. You can have an influx of work at one moment, and near zero another. BI smooths this over by allowing you to survive during the dips. It also reduces the toxic stress contractors can experience even during a wave of work. When the gigs run out (and therefore, the income is less under BI--but not zero!), it gives you time to seek out new work without panicking.