ULOG: Would you do anything for money?

So, I was having a really good day. And I'm talking about really good. Everything was going as planned which doesn't happen that often. Until when my father came back home from work.

Now my father is someone who has been using public transport for quite a long time now. Ever since he got the job where he is now, he's been using public transport. And that's about 30 odd years. And the public transport here is really really pathetic. In a bus that can accommodate 40, there will be atleast a minimum of 90 people in every trip. Now my dad could've easily bought a vehicle for himself in all these years but he didn't, because he didn't want to use any of his money for personal comfort. All he has done throughout his life is spending money to fulfill his family's needs. And I'm really proud and thankful of him for that.

So he's really smart in public places and has seen all kinds of people. He knows how to deal with people. But yesterday, while he was in a jam packed bus going to the office, he got robbed. A group of four pickpocketers surrounded him in the bus, and before he would know, all his money was gone. He only realised what had happened and who did it after he got down from the bus. The damage was huge. Unfortunately, he was taking some savings to the bank and these guys robbed him off almost two months worth of his salary. You can only imagine the frustration of a man who works more than 12 hours a day only to get two months worth of his salary robbed off him. I felt really bad for him. Because I know how much he must be cursing himself in his mind, even though it wasn't his fault.

This incident, however made me start thinking. Is the society really this bad? What if they rob someone who is really poor and has worked all month so that he could pay his kid's school fees only to go home and see his salary is gone. Why is it so difficult for some people to work hard on their own and earn money instead of robbing other people?

I don't know if there is a solution to this problem. I was wondering if UBI could help. Providing a Universal Basic Income to all might reduce these cases. Because at the end of the day, these thieves are also doing what they're doing to get a day's meal. That's the only thing I can think of. If you think there is anything else that can be done to solve this problem, feel free to suggest.