I think some people think that if you don't have to work for a living that people are lazy and would choose to do nothing productive, but I think we'll find the opposite is true.
If philosophers like Hegel, Marx, and Arendt are correct, we humans define ourselves (and our identities emerge) only through our labor. Sure, people would struggle with what to do with themselves at first, but then they'll find all sorts of really amazing things to do. I think it might just free us humans up to evolve to the next stage, after which we'll wonder how we ever forced each other to work to live.
Thanks for writing your post and stimulating though on this very important and interesting subject.
I agree, I also believe that it's human nature to work and do something meaningful. The problem right now would be that our education system is based on extrinsic motivation like grades instead of intrinsic motivation. I think in order to transition into this new system we would have to change our education system drastically.
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Someone argued with me, that he would stop working if he got a basic income. I answered him, that this was totally fine when before he did a job he only worked in because of an extrensic motivation. Many of such jobs are senseless. There are many people in Germany forced to work a job just so that they wouldn't fall into the social security system.
Sorry, if I am becoming pessimestic now. But I think we will never see a change by politicians or by a change of thinking in the people. What we will see is a technical revolution. Sooner or later there will be so many people without work. That is going to set free so much energy that it might weakens the political elite and awakens it of their "Cinderella's sleep". Someone will have to find a solution. Maybe not now but maybe in 10 years.