The concept of social safety nets affects every single one of us, whether we realize it or not. These programs and policies—Medicare, Medicaid, unemployment insurance, food assistance—represent more than bureaucratic systems. They embody a fundamental question about who we are as a society. I want to make my position clear: these safety nets aren't optional luxuries—they're essential infrastructure for a functioning, humane society. Let me take you on a think through history, across cultures, and into possible futures to explain why.