<h2>Finns with Benefits</h2>
Not only can basic income make people feel better about their finances, but it can also make them feel better about society, according to a new <a href="https://www.kela.fi/web/en/news-archive/-/asset_publisher/lN08GY2nIrZo/content/basic-income-recipients-experienced-less-financial-insecurity" target="_blank" rel="noopener">report</a> from Kela, the government agency behind Finland&#8217;s recently wrapped two-year-long <a href="https://futurism.com/study-universal-basic-income-finland-work-less" target="_blank" rel="noopener">basic income experiment</a>.
&#8220;Respondents who received a basic income had more trust in other people and in societal institutions&#8221; than people who didn&#8217;t receive payments, Kela wrote in the report — a finding that suggests basic income may lead to increased trust in police, politicians, and similar groups.
<h2>Trust the Police</h2>
In the report, Kela describes how it surveyed the 2,000 unemployed Finns receiving a no-strings-attached monthly payment, asking them to rate their trust in various entities on a scale of 0 to 10, with 0 signifying no trust at all and 10 meaning complete trust.
When they compared these ratings against a control group, they found that the people receiving the payments reported a <a href="http://fortune.com/2019/04/04/finland-basic-income-societal-trust/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">higher level of trust</a> in other people, politicians, political parties, courts, and the police.
<h2>Big Picture</h2>
The difference in trust between the groups wasn&#8217;t huge — the basic income group typically rated their trust between .3 and .5  points higher — but it was consistent.
Given that past research has shown that trust is an <a href="https://greatergood.berkeley.edu/article/item/americas_trust_fall" target="_blank" rel="noopener">essential component of a healthy society</a>, this finding suggests that basic income has the potential to not only help individuals thrive, but society as well.
READ MORE: <a href="http://fortune.com/2019/04/04/finland-basic-income-societal-trust/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Finland&#8217;s Universal Basic Income Experiment Just Gave Lawmakers a Really Good Reason to Back the Idea</a> [Fortune]
More on basic income: <a href="https://futurism.com/study-universal-basic-income-finland-work-less" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Study: Universal Basic Income Won’t Make People Work Less</a>

The benefits of basic income may extend further than previously thought.

Basic income made Finland’s citizens trust police more

Bonus Benefit

Participants in Finland's basic income experiment reported more trust in other people, politicians, political parties, courts, and the police.

Basic Income Made Finland’s Citizens Trust Police More

Basic income could not only help individuals thrive, but society as well.

<h2>Universal Basic Income</h2>
Basic income would give everyone a base amount of money every month, regardless of employment status. A common criticism: without an incentive, people would work less.
But new research shows that those worries might be unfounded. A two-year study in Finland found that a randomly selected group of people who received a sum of money from the government every month worked no less than a control group — bolstering the case for a basic income as the world economy transitions to greater automation.
<h2>Almost Identical</h2>
The Basic Income Experiment Evaluation Project, run by the Finnish government and a number of local universities and think tanks, concluded in December 2018.
Now the <a href="http://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/handle/10024/161361">preliminary results</a> are in: in 2017, a randomly-selected group of 2000 Finns who received 56o euros (about $635) worked on average the same amount as compared to a control group that didn&#8217;t receive any funds.
The study did find some differences between the two groups. Since the trial group&#8217;s basic income replaced unemployment benefits, for instance, the control group ended up receiving less &#8220;social assistance and sickness allowance,&#8221; the <a href="http://julkaisut.valtioneuvosto.fi/bitstream/handle/10024/161361/Report_The%20Basic%20Income%20Experiment%2020172018%20in%20Finland.pdf?sequence=1&amp;isAllowed=y">official report reads</a>.
<h2>The Finnish Line</h2>
But that might not necessarily be a bad sign — being guaranteed an income seems to make people less worried about money. That means less stress and healthier lives — and doesn&#8217;t seem to affect productivity.
&#8220;Those in the test group experienced significantly fewer problems related to health, stress and ability to concentrate than those in the control group,&#8221; concludes the report. &#8221; According to the results, those in the test group were also considerably more confident in their own future and their ability to influence societal issues than the control group.&#8221;
READ MORE: <a href="https://www.newscientist.com/article/2193136-universal-income-study-finds-money-for-nothing-wont-make-us-work-less/">Universal income study finds money for nothing won’t make us work less</a> [New Scientist]
More on universal basic income: <a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-ubi-pilot-programs-around-the-world">Universal Basic Income: UBI Pilot Programs Around the World</a>

"Those in the test group experienced significantly fewer problems related to health, stress and ability to concentrate than those in the control group."

Study: universal basic income won't make people work less

A two-year universal basic income study in Finland concluded that in 2017, those who received payments worked the same amount and were healthier overall.

Study: Universal Basic Income Won’t Make People Work Less

People who received basic income experienced fewer health problems.

Artificial intelligence plays a role in nearly everyone’s life now, so it only seems fair that everyone should also have the opportunity to learn exactly what it is and how it functions. At least, that’s what <a href="https://www.helsinki.fi/en">Helsinki University in Finland</a> thinks. The school is offering the world’s first online artificial intelligence <a href="https://www.elementsofai.com/">course</a> geared towards beginners, as <a href="https://www.engadget.com/2018/05/20/finland-helsinki-university-ai-course/">Engadget reports.</a>
Not only can anyone with web access enroll, but it’s also free. Because the course only takes about 30 hours to complete, it’s possible it might help people get to know—and form opinions on—artificial intelligence. And that knowledge will be useful, since the technology is becoming more increasingly widespread.
Heslinki’s AI class is different from the program Carnegie Mellon University <a href="https://futurism.com/carnegie-melon-ai-undergrad/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">announced</a> they’d be offering a few weeks ago. The Pennsylvania-based school, which already hosts one of the premiere robotics labs in the nation, will gear their program towards students who want to make a career out of AI development and research. The program will only accept four percent of newly-enrolled students, and will involve four years of challenging AI-based classes.
Helsinki University, on the other hand, will start their class with something simpler: What is artificial intelligence? From there, the lessons will branch out and explain what problems AI can help solve, how it’s being used now, and what qualifies as machine learning. These are the kinds of core concepts that will give Helsinki students background knowledge about, say, the AI Facebook uses for <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/the-download/609816/facebooks-ai-will-tell-you-when-any-picture-of-your-face-gets-uploaded/">facial recognition</a>, or the machine learning <a href="https://vimeo.com/album/3867562/video/159939786" target="_blank" rel="noopener">backing</a> Uber’s pricing surges.
While students enrolling in Carnegie Mellon’s program will likely already have a decent grasp of AI’s founding principles, most lay-people do not. In March 2017, a worldwide <a href="https://www.emarketer.com/Article/How-Much-Do-People-Know-About-AI/1015949" target="_blank" rel="noopener">survey</a> of internet users found that three out of 10 people polled had heard of AI, but didn’t know much about it. With so few people understanding the tech, it make sense that they’re also wary of it: 41 percent of respondents in a 2017 Forbes <a href="https://www.forbes.com/sites/kenkrogue/2017/09/11/artificial-intelligence-is-here-to-stay-but-consumer-trust-is-a-must-for-ai-in-business/#66848503776e" target="_blank" rel="noopener">poll</a> said they couldn’t cite an example of AI that they trust.
As people enroll in Helsinki’s course, or courses like it, artificial intelligence can lose some of that ambiguity. And that’s a good thing because, as the technology develops, regulators are going to decide what practices will and won’t be allowed. Congress <a href="http://thehill.com/policy/technology/364482-lawmakers-introduce-bipartisan-ai-legislation" target="_blank" rel="noopener">introduced</a> a bipartisan bill for putting parameters on AI in December of last year, and based on what those two surveys show, not many Americans understood what their representatives were proposing.
Just like taxes and international affairs, governments are going to be responsible for making choices about AI regulation. And, in order to have a meaningful say in any debate, Americans have to learn the basic concepts behind the tech. What better way to do it than through a free internet portal? Sure beats dragging yourself to an eight a.m. lecture.

The course might help people get to know—and form opinions on—artificial intelligence.

AI 101, because we can't escape the inevitable (it's free too)

Artificial Intelligence

With a free, online college class, anyone in the world can learn about what artificial intelligence is and where it's already playing a role in their life.

AI 101, Because We Can't Escape the Inevitable (It's Free Too)

Unsure about AI? This class is for you. 

AI 101, Because We Can’t Escape the Inevitable (It’s Free Too)

Sorry, basic income. Finland is simply just not that into you.
Well, the Finnish government in particular.
In January 2017, Finland <a href="https://futurism.com/finland-has-finally-launched-its-universal-basic-income-experiment/">launched a first-of-its-kind basic income trial</a>, the first by a European government. For two years, 2,000 randomly chosen unemployed citizens would receive a tax-free, no-strings-attached monthly payment of €560 ($690) from the government to test the viability of basic income.
With eight months still left in its two-year-long trial of universal basic income, the nation&#8217;s government has told Kela, the Finnish social security agency, it will not expand the project, <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/apr/23/finland-to-end-basic-income-trial-after-two-years">The Guardian reports</a>.
The Finnish government has refused Kela&#8217;s request for an additional £61 million ($85 million) to expand the project to include employed citizens in 2018. It will continue to pay the people already involved in the project until January 2019, as originally planned.
Finland&#8217;s decision to end its basic income trial could be because another kind of welfare program has already caught its eye: Petteri Orpo, Finland&#8217;s finance minister, <a class="u-underline" href="https://www.hbl.fi/artikel/petteri-orpo-vill-testa-universalbidrag-sa-har-funkar-stodet-som-storbritannien-tagit-i-bruk/">told Finnish newspaper Hufvudstadsbladet</a> he thinks the nation should give a <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/finland-to-end-basic-income-experiment-2018-4" target="_blank" rel="noopener noreferrer">universal credit</a> trial a go once the basic income project officially ends.
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A universal credit is a single social security payment that replaces several once-distinct benefits, such as income support or child welfare. How much money a person gets in that payment depends on a person&#8217;s income — those who earn more money receive less in their credit. This tiered payment system eliminated an argument long wielded by opponents of UBI: It wouldn&#8217;t disincentive people from <a href="https://futurism.com/basic-income-part-time-work/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">seeking employment</a>.
However, a universal credit would include one of the logistical benefits of UBI: a single, streamlined payment for all uses. The United Kingdom introduced a <a href="https://www.gov.uk/universal-credit" target="_blank" rel="noopener">universal credit in 2013</a>, so Finland has an example to consider while designing its own universal credit trial.
Indeed, it looks like Finland is leaning more towards a universal payment system than less. Last December, the Finnish Parliament <a href="https://www.pam.fi/en/news/news/2017/12/controversial-active-model-for-unemployment-security-will-come-into-force-from-1-january-2018.html">passed a law</a> that requires people receiving benefits from the government to actively seek employment and report their efforts to officials every three months. The legislation, which went into effect in January, does align with a future shift toward a universal credit-type system.
And that might be pretty good for Finns. <a href="https://www.oecd.org/eco/surveys/Finland-2018-OECD-economic-survey-overview.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">A study</a> by the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) found a universal credit could cut the poverty rate in Finland from 11.4 percent to 9.7 percent.
Finland may not have fallen in love with UBI, but citizens could still benefit as the nation revamps its welfare system.

Another type of welfare system has already caught the nation's eye.

Finland's assessment of basic income trial: not impressed

Future Society

Finland will not expand its basic income trial post-January 2019 and is already turning its attention to other types of welfare systems.

Finland's Assessment of Basic Income Trial: Not Impressed

The nation is moving on from basic income, but it did learn a few lessons along the way.

Finland’s Assessment of Basic Income Trial: Not Impressed

<h2>A Stipend for Self-Esteem</h2>
English business mogul Sir Richard Branson thinks the modern world could benefit from universal basic income (UBI). The <a href="https://www.virgin.com/" target="_blank">Virgin</a> founder published a <a href="https://www.virgin.com/richard-branson/experimenting-universal-basic-income" target="_blank">blog post</a> on the company&#8217;s website outlining why he believes the system deserves consideration.
<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-ubi-pilot-programs-around-the-world/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/01/UBI-home_v1-900x600.png" alt="Universal Basic Income: UBI Pilot Programs Around the World" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-ubi-pilot-programs-around-the-world/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
In the post, Branson describes his experiences during a recent trip to Finland, where a <a href="https://futurism.com/finland-has-finally-launched-its-universal-basic-income-experiment/" target="_blank">nationwide experiment with UBI</a> that provides 2,000 Finns with an unconditional income of €560 (roughly $655) monthly was launched earlier this year.
UBI has frequently been touted as a potential <a href="https://futurism.com/experts-think-ubi-is-the-solution-to-automation-this-year-well-find-out/" target="_blank">solution for the unemployment surge</a> expected to result from the increased use of automation in the workplace. However, Branson praises the idea for more human reasons — specifically the sense of self-esteem that comes from not having to worry about having the baseline amount of money needed for life&#8217;s essentials.
In his post, he expresses a hope that giving people this leg up would allow them to utilize their own creativity and entrepreneurial spirit to carve out a better life for themselves. &#8220;A key point is that the money will be paid even if the people find work,&#8221; observed Branson. &#8220;The initiative aims to reduce unemployment and poverty while cutting red tape, allowing people to pursue the dignity and purpose of work without the fear of losing their benefits by taking a low-paid job.&#8221;
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Branson, of course, knows a thing or two about entrepreneurship. Since founding a magazine at the age of 16, the business magnate has pursued a string of hugely successful ventures, including a mail-order record shop, a music label, and an international airline, all of which have contributed to his <a href="https://www.forbes.com/profile/richard-branson/" target="_blank">current net worth of $5 billion</a>.
<h2>Pay It Forward</h2>
Branson adds his name to <a href="https://futurism.com/heres-what-the-most-successful-people-in-the-world-think-about-ubi/" target="_blank">a growing list</a> of very wealthy, technologically savvy individuals who have pledged their support for research into UBI.
Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg recently <a href="https://futurism.com/mark-zuckerberg-the-u-s-should-learn-from-this-states-basic-income-program/" target="_blank">made an impassioned case</a> for UBI following an excursion to Alaska. For decades, the state has implemented a version of the idea, which is funded using revenue from natural oil resources, rather than via taxation.
Meanwhile, Elon Musk stated at the 2017 World Government Summit that he believes UBI is <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-automation-will-force-governments-to-introduce-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank">something of an inevitability</a>. As he sees it, the bigger problem is giving people something to do when automation makes them unnecessary in the workplace, which dovetails with Branson&#8217;s idea that a basic income could act as a springboard for individual entrepreneurship.
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However, not every billionaire shares this take on UBI. Dallas Mavericks owner and AXS TV chairman Mark Cuban has been very critical of the concept, describing it as &#8220;<a href="https://futurism.com/mark-cuban-universal-basic-income-is-the-worst-possible-response/" target="_blank">one of the worst possible responses</a>&#8221; to job losses caused by automation.
Billionaires may know money, but they&#8217;re not always the best sources for opinions on social policy — that being said, <a href="https://futurism.com/expert-asserts-that-universal-basic-income-would-eliminate-poverty/" target="_blank">other experts who have spoken on the subject</a> have delivered arguments that are broadly similar to Branson&#8217;s. UBI might not be the be-all, end-all for dealing with poverty and unemployment, but it could certainly give people a better foundation upon which to build a full and prosperous life.

Finland’s UBI trial left a positive impression on this mogul.

Sir Richard Branson has announced his support for research into UBI, which he believes could promote dignity and entrepreneurship.

Sir Richard Branson Thinks the World Needs to Consider Universal Basic Income

He joins Elon Musk and Mark Zuckerberg in supporting UBI trials.

<h2>Finland&#8217;s Failed Experiment?</h2>
Universal basic income (UBI) is a hot topic in the world today. So far, however, very few experiments have been conducted to ascertain precisely how best to implement such a system. For that reason, a small-scale UBI experiment in Finland has drawn much attention as one of the few real-world examples we have of how UBI could work.
The trial <a href="https://futurism.com/finland-has-finally-launched-its-universal-basic-income-experiment/" target="_blank">began earlier this year</a> and is being managed by Kela, the national social-insurance institute. Kela selected 2,000 Finns between the ages of 25 and 58, each of whom was receiving some form of unemployment benefits, to receive €560 (about $645) per month.
In theory, this project would give the world new insights into the logistics and consequences of introducing a UBI system. However, the trial has been riddled with issues and mistakes from the start due to improper planning and a troubled political environment, and now, it is little more than a lesson of how not to run a UBI experiment.
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Among the most serious errors was a slashing of the sample size to just one-fifth the number suggested in the original proposition. This extremely small dataset is not enough to be scientifically viable.
Additionally, the trial kicked off during a period of economic turmoil in Finland. The country&#8217;s economy had suffered three recessions since 2008, and this state-sponsored UBI project was launched in a time of economic austerity.
Although the results of the project, which will be announced in 2019, may give us some insights into the viability of future UBI programs, even those who designed the Finnish experiment are skeptical of its validity. <a href="http://www.kela.fi/web/en/contact-us-research/-/asset_publisher/5XDYBP9gFncW/content/kangas-olli?_101_INSTANCE_5XDYBP9gFncW_redirect=%2Fweb%2Fen%2Fcontact-us-research" target="_blank">Olli Kangas</a>, Kela&#8217;s coordinator for the program, <a href="https://www.economist.com/news/business-and-finance/21723759-experiment-effect-offering-unemployed-new-form" target="_blank">told The Economist</a> that it was currently in a state of neglect, comparing politicians&#8217; actions to &#8220;small boys with toy cars who become bored and move on.”
<h2>A Worldwide Question</h2>
Universal basic income has been proposed as a solution to two issues that are currently shaking society: poverty and the integration of artificial intelligence (AI) into the jobs sector. In an <a href="https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2016/dec/01/stephen-hawking-dangerous-time-planet-inequality" target="_blank">interview with The Guardian</a>, Stephen Hawking warned that the latter will cause &#8220;job destruction deep into the middle classes,&#8221; and <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-universal-basic-income-2017-2" target="_blank">Elon Musk has asserted</a> that &#8220;there will be fewer and fewer jobs that a robot cannot do better” as the technology develops.
<figure style="width: 360px" class="wp-caption alignright"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-answer-automation/"><img src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2016/05/Universal-Basic-Income-A-Beginners-Guide_home_v1.jpg" alt="Universal Basic Income: The Answer to Automation?" ></a><figcaption class="wp-caption-text center"><a href="https://futurism.com/images/universal-basic-income-answer-automation/" target="_blank">Click to View Full Infographic</a></figcaption></figure>
The idea of a UBI system is to automatically award every citizen with a state-sponsored wage, which could then be augmented by further work. This would provide those displaced by robotic systems with a way to support themselves on the most basic level.
Although Finland&#8217;s lackluster experiment remains the largest state-sponsored experiment to date, various governments are considering conducting their own UBI trials.
India, the world&#8217;s largest democratic country, <a href="https://futurism.com/worlds-largest-democratic-country-to-endorse-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank">has endorsed the system</a> — claiming <a href="http://indiabudget.nic.in/survey.asp" target="_blank">in a report</a> that it is &#8220;basically the way forward&#8221; — and is now considering the best way to introduce it to its populous. The state of Hawaii, which also recently <a href="https://futurism.com/blazing-a-trail-hawaii-becomes-the-first-u-s-state-to-commit-to-the-paris-climate-accords/" target="_blank">accepted the terms of the Paris Agreement</a> despite Donald Trump&#8217;s federal withdrawal, has also <a href="https://www.weforum.org/agenda/2017/06/hawaii-has-become-the-first-state-to-support-universal-basic-income" target="_blank">announced on Reddit</a> that they will &#8220;begin evaluating universal basic income.”
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The system is not without its skeptics, however. <a href="https://futurism.com/heres-why-experts-think-universal-basic-income-will-never-work/" target="_blank">Experts question</a> who would provide the money to fund such projects, asserting that a universal basic income of $10,000 a year per person could add approximately <a href="https://www.cbpp.org/poverty-and-opportunity/commentary-universal-basic-income-may-sound-attractive-but-if-it-occurred" target="_blank">$3 trillion to national spending</a> in the U.S.
Individuals such as Mark Cuban and <a href="https://www.economics.northwestern.edu/people/directory/robert-gordon.html" target="_blank">Robert Gordon</a>, an economist at Northwestern University, have suggested that we should optimize existing benefits systems. Gordon <a href="https://www.technologyreview.com/s/601499/basic-income-a-sellout-of-the-american-dream/" target="_blank">told the MIT Technology Review</a> that his idea is to make &#8220;benefits more generous to reach a reasonable minimum, expand the Earned Income Tax Credit, and greatly expand preschool care for children who grow up in poverty.”
We won&#8217;t know for sure how effective a UBI could be until someone actually implements an experiment large enough to provide meaningful data, and right now, Finland doesn&#8217;t appear to be that entity.

2,000 Finns are receiving "free money" monthly.

All eyes are on Finland as the nation moves forward with a trial to determine the feasibility and potential benefits of a UBI system.

What We Can Learn From Finland’s Basic Income Experiment

This small-scale trial is one of few real-world examples of UBI in action.

Finland will be implementing the world's first national-level basic income experiment. Basic income itself has been discussed for many decades in Finland and elsewhere. So what is basic income and the related discussion all about?

Does Basic Income Solve Anything? Grasp the Arguments for and Against

Basic income could be the best long-term option for dealing with change caused by technological development.

You don’t have to travel to the Arctic to disconnect, technically. If you’re strong of will, you could do it in your apartment. Even if you’re not, there is undoubtedly some corner of some state forest where you can ditch your cellular bars for a day or two.
But there’s also the Arctic.
The pitch was compelling—a week in a snow-covered cabin made of 400-year old pine logs, and a chance to see the aurora borealis through the panes of a tempered Glass Igloo at the resort that started it all. We booked our tickets the same day.
“Digital Detoxing” is a product of the connected generation. Across the world, access to the internet is increasingly being viewed as essential for quality of life. Back in December, Canada declared it a <a href="https://futurism.com/canada-to-spend-750-million-to-ensure-all-citizens-have-internet-access/">basic service</a> that must be made available to all citizens. They will not be the last.
While it would be foolish to discourage its proliferation—the web has cultivated countless new industries, brought quality education to the ends of the Earth, and raised a generation of globally minded citizens—it would also be ignorant to suggest that its side effects aren’t worth addressing.
The average American now spends <a href="http://digitaldetox.org/">30 percent</a> of their leisure time browsing the internet—never mind those of us who spend our whole workday on a laptop as well. The average employee checks 40 websites per day, and changes tasks every two minutes. We also spend nearly two hours each day recovering from distractions.
Frenetic behavior like this takes a significant toll on us over time.
Studies have <a href="http://www.upmc.com/media/NewsReleases/2016/Pages/lin-primack-sm-depression.aspx">consistently linked</a> heavy social media usage with depression. Similarly, exposure to artificial light—the kind emitted by our electronic devices—has <a href="http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/370/1667/20140120">proven to be</a> detrimental to our natural sleep patterns. What’s more, the CDC now considers insufficient sleep to be an epidemic. And the list <a href="http://online.liebertpub.com/doi/full/10.1089/cyber.2016.0259">goes on</a>.
It’s why millennials are flocking to expensive <a href="https://campgrounded.org/">adult summer camps</a> that promise opportunities to unplug (in many cases, they take your phone from you). It’s why remote retreats like <a href="http://www.kakslauttanen.fi/">Kakslauttanen Arctic Resort</a> are beginning to host a younger crowd. And it’s why we decided to go experience it for ourselves.
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Nearly every aspect of Kakslauttanen impedes digital connectivity. The renowned resort is located deep in Finnish Lapland—home to some 200,000 wild reindeer, and little else. In December, temperatures frequently dip below -30°C (-22°F). It is the kind of cold that renders text messaging fingers inanimate in a matter of seconds.
Inside, it doesn’t get much easier. By design there is no wi-fi or cable in the hotel’s sprawling collection of cabins, igloos, and kelo-igloos.  “[The] fireplace is our television,” owner Jussi Eiramo told us during an interview. He isn&#8217;t joking.
By the end of your first day at Kakslauttanen, withdrawal sets in. <a href="http://www.academia.edu/11105910/Smartphone_Use_Addiction_Narcissism_and_Personality_A_Mixed_Methods_Investigation">Real withdrawal</a>. By day two, however, you begin to sense a shift. When your phone is turned into a glorified alarm clock overnight, there is little reason to ever pick it up (outside of force of habit). There is so much more to do, anyway.
In early December, the sun rises above Lapland for just 15 minutes per day. The residual magic hour extends your time in the light by three or four hours, but the pervading experience is darkness. Fortunately, these are just the right conditions for Aurora Borealis—the Northern Lights shine for the better part of the year here.
They&#8217;re also just the right conditions to celebrate (and practice) the naturalist lifestyle of the Finns, which has been proven to be incredibly healthy. Finnish sauna <a href="http://www.health.harvard.edu/blog/sauna-use-linked-longer-life-fewer-fatal-heart-problems-201502257755">has been linked</a> to longer life and fewer fatal heart problems. The cold weather characteristic of Lapland <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/8022726?ordinalpos=1&amp;itool=EntrezSystem2.PEntrez.Pubmed.Pubmed_ResultsPanel.Pubmed_DefaultReportPanel.Pubmed_RVDocSum">has been linked</a> to better sleep and an improved metabolism.
Kakslauttanen has engineered the whole resort to empower guests to experience the auroras both comfortably and adventurously (the choice is yours). Jussi and team were among the first to build Glass Igloos in Lapland, and they&#8217;re still busily innovating year over year. Consider them &#8220;Northern Lights Lite.&#8221;
The local reindeer, who winter in the resort, allow you to experience the lights deep in the forest from the cold comfort of a wooden sled. Consider them &#8220;Northern Lights Advanced.&#8221; Soon, an in-progress Glass Igloo Tower will allow guests to get closer than ever to the action. In short, there are no excuses for missing the greatest show on Earth.
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While you’re waiting for the auroras to take over the sky, there is plenty else to keep you occupied: snow mobile trekking, husky dog sledding, cross-country skiing, horseback riding, and ice fishing. There’s a traditional Finnish smoke sauna, too, if sweating it out is your thing.
That’s not to say you’ll want to book yourself solid, of course. The daily rhythms of relaxation at Kakslauttanen are key to the detoxing experience.
It goes a little something like this:
08.30 I wake up in my cabin and begin collecting my layers—long johns, jeans, snow pants, wool socks, winter boots, long sleeve thermal, fleece, jacket, earmuffs, hat, gloves. It probably won’t be enough.
09.00 I brace for the cold and step outside. The resort’s restaurant is just a few hundred yards away, but the way is treacherously cold—35 below zero, and still falling somehow.
09.05 I arrive at the restaurant and begin curating the usual breakfast—greek yogurt, Lapland berries, toasted bread, cold cuts, cheese. coffee (x3).
09.45 The sun rises.
09.57 The sun sets.
10.00 I head out for the morning’s activity—a 4-hour snowmobile trek through pristine Finnish forestland.
14.00 I return to the restaurant for lunch—a veritable buffet of traditional and international soups. The thawing process begins.
15.00 I disappear into my cabin’s personal sauna, where I&#8217;ll remain until all the snow and ice has turned to sweat.
17.45 I restart the long process of layering, changing nothing but my socks. I should have brought more wool.
17.58 I glance at the clock on my phone, then set it back down.
18.00 I brace for the cold and step outside, delighted to find that the temperature has risen to a balmy 25 below. I head to the restaurant once again.
18.05 I order the dinner selection of the day—smoked reindeer, smashed potatoes, and local vegetables, with a berry compote for dessert.
20.00 I head out for the evening’s activity—a reindeer-led sledding expedition to hunt aurora borealis.
20.13 The aurora begins. Our eyes are glued to the sky as the lights dance around us. Even the reindeer seem to take notice.
20.45 We arrive at a lonely canvas tepee in the deep of the forest, where a fire and hot tea have been prepared for us.
21.30 We return, half frozen, to Kakslauttanen.
22.00 I drop by the igloo bar for a few drinks before turning in for the night.
23.00 I return to my cabin, and prepare to do it all again tomorrow.
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It’s a strange thing to find pride in—spending a few hours, or a week (in our case), without your phone. The feeling is doubtlessly and distinctly millennial, a product of a generation whose livelihoods are dependent on connectivity. As I ponder the week’s juxtapositions, I recall an anecdote Jussi told me during an early conversation about his creation.
<blockquote>“Evenings, when the people come to dinner here, don’t speak nothing with company, or with friends. Only with computer. This is normal today. I think in future, people wake up. This is not all life. Here, you can find life without computer.&#8221;</blockquote>
He’s got a point, of course, but I don’t think we’re meant to reject technology completely. For all its flaws and harmful side effects, the web has done immeasurable good for humanity, and we are just getting started. At the same time, it should be used as a reference guide to life, not a replacement for it.
The 45-second Facebook videos that show us the depths and dynamism of our world—the ones that led us to Kakslauttanen in the first place—are meant to inspire us to start packing, not keep scrolling. When you finally arrive, you’ll find there’s no reason to look to your newsfeed for beauty,  because it is all around you.
If you’re lucky, the lesson is one you’ll bring back home.
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Disclosure: Kakslauttanen paid for Futurism&#8217;s travel and lodging expenses.

Glass igloos, ancient cabins, wild reindeer, and the long Polar night. Here's why Kakslauttanen is the world's best place to unplug.

Digital Detox at the End of the World

<h2>The Reputation of UBI</h2>
Lets face it. Getting money each month just for being alive sounds pretty great. But with that perk comes a whole bunch of backlash.
Universal Basic Income (UBI) is a concept where all citizens of a country are given a monetary stipend each month in order to survive. The practice is being explored in part as a potential solution to job automation in the future.
But is UBI <a href="https://futurism.com/is-universal-basic-income-a-good-idea-stick-around-because-were-about-to-find-out/" target="_blank">really such a good idea</a>? Some believe that it&#8217;ll act as a giant safety net provided by the government for those facing poverty or unemployment. Others believe that if you hand someone money, they&#8217;ll opt to doing absolutely nothing with their lives in return. Countries flashing free money would wave a flag to millions of people while shouting &#8220;Come get your cash!&#8221;
<img class="wp-image aligncenter" style="width: 50%" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/01/UBI.jpg" width="800" height="380" />Credit: Russell Shaw Higgs
Fact of the matter is, UBI has its benefits. In a <a href="http://www.journals.uchicago.edu/doi/abs/10.1086/689575" target="_blank">study led by researchers at the World Bank</a>, underdeveloped nations in particular saw a decrease in the consumption of &#8220;temptation goods&#8221; when given free cash each month. This would include the consumption of alcohol and tobacco.
&#8220;If you tell people money is for a certain thing, then they&#8217;re much more likely to spend that money on that thing,&#8221; <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/basic-income-study-people-drink-smoke-less-2016-12" target="_blank">said David Evans</a>, one of the lead researchers in the study. That&#8217;s why each cash transfer came with a label featuring a positive intent such as &#8220;for improving the lives of your children&#8221; or &#8220;for starting your business.&#8221;
This is just one experiment in many that countries around the world are conducting. They want to see if a little bit will go a long way in the end.
Thus, Finland recently decided to participate in the worldwide experiment. But instead of it being a &#8220;universal&#8221; basic income, the country will only offer $590 each month for two years to persons who are unemployed, and will continue regardless of whether or not they find work during that time period.
One major clue they hope to uncover is whether or not those who receive the monthly stipends will essentially use or abuse it. One recipient of this stipend is a man by the name of Juha Jarvinen.
<h2>Juha&#8217;s Story</h2>
He was one of the 2,000 people selected to participate in the study, led by a Finnish federal agency called Keva. He&#8217;s a 37-year old entrepreneur with a wife and six children. In 2010, Jarvinen founded his own business, but it shut down two years later. His wife&#8217;s salary, child allowances, and unemployment checks were keeping him afloat.
<figure style="width: 800px" class="wp-caption aligncenter"><img style="width: 50%" src="https://wp-assets.futurism.com/2017/01/juha-jarvinen-1200x900.jpg" width="800" height="380" /><figcaption class="wp-caption-text">Credit: Juha Jarvinen/Facebook</figcaption></figure>
Now with the incoming monthly stipends, he plans to try his hand again at starting a business. &#8220;What will I do in the future? In next two years? I start new business as soon as possible. Now I&#8217;m free for that. I really feel I have got back my citizenship,&#8221; <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/finnish-guy-gets-basic-income-2017-1" target="_blank">he wrote</a>.
Jarvinen&#8217;s motivation to do something greater for his life demonstrates one side of the coin. The other 1,999 participants will determine whether UBI would be beneficial for the majority of people or not at all.

Universal Basic Income (UBI) is being explored in part as a potential solution to job automation in the future. 
It's already being implemented in some countries, and is beginning to affect the lives of real people.  

Meet the Person Whose Life Is Being Changed by Universal Basic Income

Juha Jarvinen shows that UBI can be a motivator in creating a better life.

<h2>New Year, New Income</h2>
It looks like 2,000 citizens in Finland will welcome the new year with outstretched arms. These Finns are the lucky recipients of a guaranteed income beginning this year, as the country&#8217;s government finally rolls out its <a href="https://futurism.com/?s=universal+basic+income" target="_blank">universal basic income (UBI)</a> trial run. UBI is a potential source of income that could one day be available to all adult citizens, regardless of income, wealth, or employment status.
This pioneering UBI program was launched by the federal social security institution, <a href="http://www.kela.fi/" target="_blank">Kela</a>. It will give out €560 ($587) a month, tax free, to 2,000 Finns that were randomly selected. The only requirement was that they had to be already receiving unemployment benefits or an income subsidy.
The program allows unemployed Finns to not lose their benefits, even when they try out odd jobs. &#8220;Incidental earnings do not reduce the basic income, so working and &#8230; self-employment are worthwhile no matter what,&#8221; says <a href="http://money.cnn.com/2017/01/02/news/economy/finland-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank">Marjukka Turunen</a>, legal unit head at Kela.
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<h2>Just the Beginning</h2>
If successful, the program could be extended to include all adult Finns. &#8220;Its purpose is to reduce the work involved in applying for subsidies, as well as free up time and resources for other activities, such as making or applying for work,&#8221; according to <a href="http://www.kela.fi/perustulokokeilu-tavoitteet-ja-toteutus" target="_blank">a press release</a> by Kela.
Furthermore, the Finnish government, as well as UBI advocates, may see how this program can end up saving more money for Finland in the long run — as it is less costly than maintaining social welfare services for the unemployed. &#8220;Some people think basic income will solve every problem under the sun, and some people think it’s from the hand of Satan and will destroy our work ethic,” <a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2016/12/17/business/economy/universal-basic-income-finland.html?ref=technology&amp;_r=1" target="_blank">said Olli Kangas</a>, who oversees research at Kela, about the program. “I’m hoping we can create some knowledge on this issue.”
Then, of course, there is the looming issue of job loss due to automation. Many <a href="https://futurism.com/is-a-universal-basic-income-the-answer-to-automation-caused-unemployment/" target="_blank">UBI proponents</a>, including tech entrepreneurs <a href="https://futurism.com/elon-musk-theres-a-pretty-good-chance-well-end-up-with-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank">Elon Musk</a> (Tesla and SpaceX) and <a href="https://futurism.com/y-combinator-to-launch-basic-income-pilot-program-in-california/" target="_blank">Sam Altman</a> (Y Combinator), see the program as the only solution to the problem.
UBI is, without a doubt, <a href="https://futurism.com/survey-reveals-nearly-50-of-americans-favor-a-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank">controversial</a>. There is an ongoing debate as to whether or not it&#8217;s a workable system. Of course, the only real way to definitively find out is to put the system to the test – hence, Finland&#8217;s experiment. After its two-year run, the government will have enough data — from the 2,000 participants and a control group of about 173,000 non-participants from the same background — to see just how effective a UBI program could be.
Finland is just one of several governments considering a <a style="background-color: white;" href="https://futurism.com/is-universal-basic-income-a-good-idea-stick-around-because-were-about-to-find-out/" target="_blank">UBI trial in 2017</a>. Also set for a trial this month is the city of<a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2016/06/netherlands-utrecht-universal-basic-income-experiment/487883/" target="_blank"> Utrecht in the Netherlands</a> — with <a href="https://futurism.com/a-canadian-province-just-passed-a-resolution-for-universal-basic-income/" target="_blank">Canada</a> and <a href="http://eight.world/?project=unconditional-cash-transfer" target="_blank">Uganda</a> also preparing their own programs.

The universal basic income trial will give out €560 ($587) a month, tax free, to 2,000 randomly-selected Finns.
UBI is a potential source of income that could one day be available to all adult citizens, regardless of income, wealth, or employment status.

/Finland

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