German university offering grants to people who want to do absolutely nothing

Came across this and thought I'd share. Universities seem to be not much more than daycares for spoiled adult children these days so why not just take it to the next level or I guess that'a what this German university must be thinking. In a new test project, this university will be offering 'idleness' grants, ie. Giving people money to be as useless as possible.

www.independent.co.uk...

Researchers in Germany are giving out scholarships in “idleness” and are willing to pay people to do as little as humanly possible.

Applicants will have to convince the academics they will be inactive in a particularly interesting way to win one of only three 1,600 Euro (£1,450) scholarships available.

The application form asks potential idlers both “what do you not want to do?” and “why is it important not to do this thing in particular?”

Professor Friedrich von Borries – who designed the project – thinks it is important to study laziness more closely to help bring about an “eco-social” transformation.

If we want to live in a society that consumes less energy, wastes fewer resources, this is not the right system of values,” Professor von Borries told Germany’s Deutsche Welle broadcaster.

“Wouldn’t it be nicer to gain social prestige by saying, ‘I have time to dream … meet friends, put up my feet – I have time to do nothing?’”

Not everyone is convinced the project is worthwhile. Professor von Borries said Germany’s Taxpayers’ Association have questioned the idea and demanded to know who is financing the experiment.

It comes as researchers in Berlin prepare give a select group of people just over £1,000 a month, no strings attached, as part of an experiment to assess the potential benefits of introducing a universal basic income (UBI).

The radical idea has attracted a growing amount of interest around the world as a way of potentially supporting people during the coronavirus pandemic and beyond.

Advocates claim a small, regular income from the state to all citizens would help tackle poverty, encourage more flexible working practices, and allow some people to spend more time caring for older family members.

The project is an extension of another ubi project going on in Germany.

This idea that the goal for humanity should be to strive to do nothing while the government gives you your monthly stipend is appalling in so many levels. This in particular just makes my brain hurt.

“Wouldn’t it be nicer to gain social prestige by saying, ‘I have time to dream … meet friends, put up my feet – I have time to do nothing?’”

Since when did striving to do nothing become the 'great dream' of people?

UBI itself on a large scale is a terrible idea. Every number i've seen tossed around is about the same as a welfare cheque, the amounts are so low as to not even cover the 'basic needs' these programs are supposed to be about, this money will be taken in taxes anyway and all it will do is cause inflation and devalue currency.

But it's more than that that bothers me, it's the cultural message subtly being pushed through these projects and news stories...the idea that

'Hey, wouldn't it be better if most people just did nothing and let someone take care of us, while we all put our feet up and dream?'

It falls right in line with stories like brave new world and farenheit 451...

Keep the population dumb, reliant on authority, drugged out, distracted, self policing, and under control.

Every aspect of our current free society, a society where we are allowed to get up, work hard, make a living for ourselves, create things and live as free humans, the way God, nature, the univers, whatever intended it to be.

Humans do not exist to be coddled and cared for like invalids or children in perpetuity by some authority. Idleness, laziness, servitude, subservience to authority are not traits to be celebrated or base a culture or society on.

I'm just going to add one last rant....

Any change for the better to the environment of this world.will never be achieved through laziness. I've worked on multiple ecological restoration projects that have actually helped make a difference the environment. They are hard work. Days and days of labour, cleaning, replacing soil, replanting vegetation, months of monitoring and continual work after.

Idleness has never been the way to change for the better...

As the saying goes...

Idle hands are the devil's playthings.

a reply to: dug88

Came across this and thought I'd share. Universities seem to be not much more than daycares for spoiled adult children these days so why not just take it to the next level or I guess that'a what this German university must be thinking.

This idea that the goal for humanity should be to strive to do nothing while the government gives you your monthly stipend is appalling in so many levels.

Totally disagree with that, it's a myth that everyone who doesn't work is idle, and the results of this study will be interesting to examine in seeing what people are doing with their time.

Additionally, it gives people an avenue to explore things they may actually enjoy doing and be good at, without having financial worry

Who produces what the people doing nothing will need? Last I checked, we had not achieved robo-economy, and even then, there will need to be stewards to maintain the robo-production apparatus.

a reply to: dug88

Giving people money to be as useless as possible.

Just like the US gov. paying people more in unemployment than they made in their jobs where they (hopefully) actually produced economic activity.

Our world is all ass-backwards and I'm questioning if this is a simulation and the person with the controller is using cheat codes or trying to see everything go up in flames *shrugs*

WTF guys, I know others feel similarly...

Well in this case if you read behind the lines the study at the Uni is a study, a simulation if you will.

Does not mean our whole world is a simulation.

A 'programme' sure, but that is a big term.

Angels as guardians of the programme to keep you in line.

Lines of code

a reply to: FamCore

a reply to: dug88

lol


Well that's an easy one. Wonder if anyone should just hint and tell them to look at most of our welfare recipients. They'll learn all they need to.


If someone said they would pay me a 1500$ grant for doing nothing... I'd laugh in their face. I make more than that in a week just working rather easy laid back job. The worst thing I have to deal with are technically troubled idiots (usually my own technicians that can't understand their job...).

So while you're starving on that 1500$ that lasted maybe a full 2 weeks... Others are still working and getting a SUSTAINABLE wage.

They should just get over this communist BS. If it worked, Russia would likely still be communist. Though, it does work great for China... Anyone ever been to China?

Yeah... works perfectly for those folks. They never had it so good.

a reply to: dug88

Sounds like it's part of a study. What's the problem if people are willingly applying? German philosophy is weird to begin with, and in Europe something like this isn't weird at all.

There's a quote I heard once, time you enjoy wasting is not wasted time.

It looks like a paid sabbatical and I disagree in handing out funds for it.

We have enough lazy people sitting on their asses claiming social benefits when working single mothers have to get by on their own.

It's a shame and it makes me fume, when I think of the hardships I go through building up a company as a single mother and this is where my taxes and social insurance money goes to.

You know how hard it is to find a flat or apartment as a single mother when lazy non working HARTZ4 leeches walk just right in because the job center pays the rent 100% sure.

I was just lucky I was not sitting on the street in spring during the lockdown and this is what universities spend their money on? Unbelieveable.

a reply to: dug88

I'd sign up but....

It's still work.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

The idea that humans are 'naturally' productive comes to mind. Do you agree with this?

a reply to: strongfp

Partly, yes. Just that I know that art students, by all means, are not the most productive fellows to begin with. Yes they enrich our live to a degree, art is important.

Would you say a paid sabbatical for art students, tarnished as a "study", is more important than giving that money to students that not even have the chance to study because they would not be able otherwhise?

Studying lazyness can be done by watching "HARZT aber Herzlich" ("totally lazy but good hearted") on TV.

a reply to: Krahzeef_Ukhar

Exactly. It stinks. Filling questionnaires every month and who knows what.
All they need is to study a master. Someone who is too lazy to get a welfare so he lives on debt instead.
Maybe they dont have those in Germany. They need to study Stoicism, Buddhism and Indian Saddhus first to understand.
It has many levels from procrastination to laziness caused by physical condition, hormonal, psychological, spiritual, all the way to existential depression.

The terms will be important. Is TV and internet allowed? Gaming? I take my online time as seriously as a work.

a reply to: ThatDamnDuckAgain

Although I agree to a certain extent. We must look at it from different angles.

Is this an isolated situation? No, we all know this. Small budget grants from Colleges and such aren't uncommon. And this also has an economic study attached to it. At the end of the day, there's a reason why this is being done. And maybe we should watch how the study turns out?

originally posted by: Zcustosmorum
a reply to: dug88

Came across this and thought I'd share. Universities seem to be not much more than daycares for spoiled adult children these days so why not just take it to the next level or I guess that'a what this German university must be thinking.

This idea that the goal for humanity should be to strive to do nothing while the government gives you your monthly stipend is appalling in so many levels.

Totally disagree with that, it's a myth that everyone who doesn't work is idle, and the results of this study will be interesting to examine in seeing what people are doing with their time.

Additionally, it gives people an avenue to explore things they may actually enjoy doing and be good at, without having financial worry

Oh my God...where to begin?....

"it's a myth that everyone who doesn't work is idle, and the results of this study will be interesting to examine in seeing what people are doing with their time."

We ALREADY have GENERATIONS worth of data on this ALREADY, since the 1960s, GENERATIONS of people on welfare doing nothing....and the result is.....worse than nothing:
- high crime
- destroyed neighborhoods
- high drug use
- destruction of the nuclear family structure, with all the DOCUMENTED ills that follow....

How can anyone be so ignorant ?

ATS- DENY IGNORANCE

What about people on welfare who have a genuine mental illness?
Are they bone idle lazy people too?

originally posted by: FinallyAwake
What about people on welfare who have a genuine mental illness?
Are they bone idle lazy people too?

If they have a genuine mental illness they are not on Welfare.

They are on SS Disability.

a reply to: dug88




Germany must be doing something right.
Germany comes in at No 5 in the top 10.

Your USA not mentioned.

Best Countries To Live In:
worldpopulationreview.com...

3 scholarships given, the sky is falling.

How many trillions have been given to the US MIC to keep you compliant?

originally posted by: TheConstruKctionofLight
a reply to: dug88




Germany must be doing something right.
Germany comes in at No 5 in the top 10.

Your USA not mentioned.

Best Countries To Live In:
worldpopulationreview.com...

3 scholarships given, the sky is falling.

How many trillions have been given to the US MIC to keep you compliant?

If that US Military Complex you hate so much didn't spend millions of dollars a year to maintain a presence in Germany, they would have become a Russian annex a long time ago.

I'll be nice and not go into the history of Germany and the whole Hitler thing.

I think we will be seeing a lot more of this.

Ill just state that.. as someone who is disabled, I want the tools for self-sufficiency rather than mere currency.

Im working on it all the same. Being dependent on anyone can feel like your life is constantly on thin ice, much less a faceless, corporate-political machine.

a reply to: TheConstruKctionofLight

Your USA not mentioned.

Didn't know a country i don't live in could be mine...learn something new every day.

It was alright to visit though, yellowstone was pretty awesome.