This story is fiction. Please clearly identify your story as fiction since it's not clear everyone got the message and it otherwise appears you are trying to deceive them, for example by attributing the frictional story to the associated Press.

EDIT: I apparently fell for a fake news Lemmy community. Its explained in the sidebar. I gave the OP the benefit of the doubt that they couldn't link the real new story, but trusted the attribution to APNEWS. If you enjoy participating in OPs social experiment on posters you're in the right place. I'm not, so I'm out.

Robux is well on down that path, and most microtransactions tokens are scrip-lite.

In-game currency? Seriously? Let me know when you can pay for groceries, housing, or healthcare with Robux.

Forgetting your slippery slope hyperbole, what is your alternate proposal? Bar Walmart for providing a form of affordable housing and kick those folks back out on the street?

I read a book series with that as a theme in a sci-fi future. The poor Reds.

It's still a company town if the company owns the factory, and the only housing that its employees can afford. The end result is exactly the same, the employees become indebted to the company. Will wallmart allow people living in its cubes to find work elsewhere? Or will they have to choose between homelessness and working at wallmart?

As for scrip, all it takes is Wallmart to say "Your pay check now includes 7 cube tokens, valued at $X dollars, we'll reduce your pay by $X to make it fair".

And as for the US not allowing company currencies, you haven't been paying attention, they already do. Robux is well on down that path, and most microtransactions tokens are scrip-lite.

I'm sorry for upsetting you, but it's not me you should be mad at.

EDIT: I apparently fell for a fake news Lemmy community. Its explained in the sidebar. I gave the OP the benefit of the doubt that they couldn't link the real new story, but trusted the attribution to APNEWS. If you enjoy participating in OPs social experiment on posters you're in the right place. I'm not, so I'm out.

Go read how company towns have worked in the past, it always ends in indentured servitude.

Oh I'm aware of history, so let me correct some of your mistaken statements:

This isn’t a solution to homelessness either though,

Right, I already said that in the exact post you're responding to when I said "Am I suggesting that Walmart is the answer to homelessness? Hell no, but our society certainly isn’t doing enough to address it, and homelessness is going to get worse in the near future."

it’s just legalising slavery via company towns

Not a company town. A company town is where the employer owns the housing, the factory, and all the stores. Jefferson City is the capitol of Missouri. Its not a huge city but even with that there are hundreds of other employers, stores, and tens of thousands of other houses not owned by Walmart. Not a company town

and eventually, company scrip,

Regardless of how shitty the USA is now, they're not going to allow companies to issue their own currency. The US government doesn't like the competition.

Also, I'm kind of pissed at you for making me defend fucking Walmart, but facts are more important so here I am.

Prison pocket nightmare fuel.

"Yeah! You should see it on your next pay check. Oh, by the way, the local bank closed down, so the company credit union is the only game in town now. It's struggling to serve so many new customers that they've had to introduce a monthly fee on accounts, eight dollars per month."

I'd do many things for money! (Brought to you by Carls Jr.)

"Great! You're needed at customer service. Someone wants to return a used enema bag and they're really angry."

"So... what're you in for?"

We'll wish it was just a company town. At least they maintained a facade. This is pretext for them testimg the waters for something even worse. It will be like living down in the mine itself, family and all.

Imagine getting woken up by your boss.

Boss: "Hey, buddy." [Patting your shoulder gently.]

You: "Huh? Whaaa?"

Boss: "We're short today. I need you to come clock in."

You: "Sorry, I have plans."

Boss: "You're not being much of a team player today. You know there aren't as many beds as employees. I had to go bat for you to get this one. Maybe it should have gone to someone who appreciates the privilege more."

So no source at all. Sure Jan.

OR, crazy idea... Pay the employees more?

EDIT: Pretty sure I ate the onion. Regardless, people should be paid more.

No, but i could have.

Welcome back to fucking company towns, we make all the profit but don't have to pay you enough to live.

I ate the onion, right, right?

This isn't a solution to homelessness either though, it's just legalising slavery via company towns and eventually, company scrip, which has been done before, and it doesn't work well for anyone but the company.

Go read how company towns have worked in the past, it always ends in indentured servitude.

EDIT: I apparently fell for a fake news Lemmy community. Its explained in the sidebar. I gave the OP the benefit of the doubt that they couldn't link the real new story, but trusted the attribution to APNEWS. If you enjoy participating in OPs social experiment on posters you're in the right place. I'm not, so I'm out.

The article already mentions how Walmart salaries aren’t enough to afford rent, now you want people to save up for a better place AND pay their nightly storage fee?

Who would you hire to work at a warehouse distribution center you own?

• Unwashed man with tattered clothing, with nothing to their name, whose most recent work history is maybe general labor 2 years ago?
• Clean and presentable man, who was able to afford basic clean clothing, grooming, and transit costs to get to the interview on time, with a year or two of consistent warehouse experience at Walmart?

This is the same man separated by time with the first before this Walmart pilot and the second after. Getting any kind of housing can be very hard. I certainly wouldn't blame someone that is homeless for taking advantage of this to get themselves back on track.

Am I suggesting that Walmart is the answer to homelessness? Hell no, but our society certainly isn't doing enough to address it, and homelessness is going to get worse in the near future.

If you think Walmart isn't going to take enough of their paycheck to make this the only option they can afford, I've got a bridge I'm trying to sell that I'd like to talk to you about.

The article already mentions how Walmart salaries aren't enough to afford rent, now you want people to save up for a better place AND pay their nightly storage fee?

Come on, man.