That is, I'm sure its satirical; I'm less certain of the exact intent (and particularly there are some choices of examples that are odd given the apparent intent.)
The exact intent is what you describe plus "make people that read HN laugh". If some of the meaning gets muddied for the sake of comedy, well, that's a sacrifice I'm willing to make.
If it's not funny, well, that's the risk of satire. In any case, I'll keep working on the story.
It's an analogy.
Rich douchebag = taxpayers.
Grad students = agency that manages the program.
Whores = those accepting basic income
The "profit" of basic income would go to us, the taxpayers, and to humanity as a whole. Or not! We don't know yet.
> being an asshole about it
You didn't see the big flashing neon <satire> sign? Or the fact that the author is a sci fi writer?
The analogy also doesn't work because you also have the rich douchebag investing venture capital and buying board seats and laying people off. Taxpayers don't do that.
Also, semantically, calling those who accept basic income "whores" is not going to serve the goal of promoting basic income.
Also, the BI in the story only goes to those earning "close to the median income."
Etc, etc. There are so many ways this piece fails: Getting the facts right on BI, as an analogy, as satire, and as a pro-BI piece.
