Bootstraps, produced and directed by Leia Schlosberg and Conrad Shaw
Mohonk Consultations at Mohonk Mountain House, February 6, 2023
This powerful film is the first in a forthcoming docuseries inviting the viewer to share the intimate and compelling stories of 11 households that participated in a groundbreaking Universal Basic Income (UBI) trial. In the film, Shaw and Schlosberg expose the lived experiences of a diverse section of American households and the daily challenges that preclude them from living the “American Dream.” The trial examined the feasibility of providing each household with an unconditional monthly income of $1000 per adult and $333 per child, as a proposed support to economic uncertainty in America. UBI is designed to free people from fear of homelessness, hunger, and the ravages of income inequality by “providing hope, agency and personal empowerment.”
Following the viewing, the audience was asked to participate in a critique of the film and what stood out most to them. Overwhelmingly, guests were moved by the stark reality of human suffering caused by economic hardship, despite people who are “…doing everything right but still can’t make it.”
Future film episodes will cover the results of the UBI trial. Shaw said that the core question related to UBI is “can we trust people to do the right thing with the money?” Shaw indicated that the docuseries “is an observation of human behavior when given this trust.” Shaw maintains that “UBI is a floor for everyone in society, not just the poor” and that as “people feel safe, when their needs are met, they begin to look outward in ways that are helpful to others.”
Shaw also discussed another of his initiatives called Comingle. Parallel to and overlapping with Bootstraps, “it is a network of people pledging to share a portion of their income with those who might need it more. Comingle is a modern, tech-driven take on the concept of Universal Basic Income but won’t necessarily cover the cost of all the “basics” for everyone. Comingle aims to enable financial security for all”.
To participate in Comingle, people commit to an initial pledge of seven percent of their income, but some, all, or more than all of that gets returned to you as your share of the guaranteed weekly payout. The end result is that only members whose income is above the average for the week will contribute money and only the members with the highest incomes will come close to contributing the full seven percent of their pledge. Enrollment is paced to ensure that anyone earning less than 200 percent of the federal poverty line still get more money out than they put in.
“People care about each other, especially in times of trouble,” Shaw said. “Comingle aims to create technology that facilitates concern for one another so that our economy can better reflect who we really are.”
More information can be found at bootstrapstv.com and comingle.us.
