"We are advancing as a global community in spite of what the mainstream news tells us." Yes.. people need to turn off the mainstream news. 6 Corporations control over 90% of the media. At a global level, terrorism has decreased - "Terrorist attacks and deaths were on the decline worldwide for the second year in a row in 2016, according to a report issued by the U.S. State Department."
The media controls what we think, don't be a cog in their machine.
I believe we need to stop idolizing productivity and quantifying our self worth through it. A decentralized, token-based society would give power back to the people. As more time is spent on self development, we will be able to spend more time solving social issues that are important to us.
If UBI ever comes to fruition(it's already being tested in Finland,) people will have more time to spend on leisure, and with UBI, will be able to invest and take risks. Especially ones of lower socio-economic status, who have never had a sustainable amount of capital. Yes, some UBI will be wasted, but the vast majority of it would be invested in social issues, education, and blockchain applications. Technology is revolutionizing society at an unprecedented rate, most of the masses don't even understand how fast it's moving.
I agree with you...you obviously have done some research on the results of what people do when they get a basic income. Most do not sit home and do nothing. It is amazing that when a rich person does nothing, it is leisure, but a poor person is lazy.
Anyway, the ability to say no to a crap job is the most beneficial aspect to the basic income concept. You are correct people choose to go back to school, study something different or enhance their skills other ways.
The challenge, is what many people are going to school for will be automated out too. I see so many entering college only to think, that career wont be around in a decade...at least not in its present form.