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CommentAuthorTacoHugsPHD
- CommentTimeDec 10th 2007 edited
Baby Tax Needed to Save the World
This is more of a Mad Economic/Social Science than a physical one but an interesting proposal. I can't imagine it taking off too well in a country w/o a current Gov birth regulation program. Or how would you enforce it? Garnish wages? Turn your baby over to this guy? -
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I like this:
http://www.vhemt.org/Q: What's wrong with babies? Don't you like babies?
VHEMT Volunteers love babies as much as anyone else. "Having babies" is not so much the problem -- having adults is what's causing the problems. The environmental impact of disposable diapers is heavy, but we are adults much longer than we are children. -
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CommentAuthorwill_butler
- CommentTimeDec 10th 2007
You know, I don't want children. I have a list of reasons as long as my arm why I don't want children. And I think that a lot of people who have kids are being incredibly irresponsible by doing so. But the professor in Tacopunch's link is a goddamn nutbar.
Will -
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i thought it was the problem of the greyhairs at the other end of the population that were stretching the economy and not the babies. in a lot of places birth rates have fallen. all the money pools in the pockets of the pensioners and is spent on maintenance or leisure. at least having babies prolongs the race which some would argue is the whole purpose of being here (not sure about that myself, but for arguments sake i'll go with it)
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CommentAuthorKitsuneCaligari
- CommentTimeDec 10th 2007
The way I heard it, Japan is in a bit of a panic, as young folks aren't replicating as often as they assumed, and the old folks are living longer than most, so Japan is something of a laboratory in economic support structuring for old codgers, the results of which the world will probably ignore.
Besides, the global warming will do us all in anyways.... -
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- CommentAuthorBrianKellett
- CommentTimeDec 10th 2007
i thought it was the problem of the greyhairs at the other end of the population that were stretching the economy and not the babies.
But it's easier to say "Don't have babies", than "Lets kill some old people". Self preservation makes it tricky for one - who over the age of 30 would lobby for 'Carousel'?
(Also old people can be tough bastards - and they fight dirty). -
I once posited the idea of birth licensing, though not particularly to deal with overpopulation. You need a license to drive a car or own a gun, because these are things that require a certain amount of responsibility, but people are allowed to shit out kids without one - I would have thought child rearing would require some responsibility too. I got called a fascist. Mind you, I was dressed as Mussolini at the time.
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You were dressed as Mussolini and you expected anyone to listen to you?
However, the idea is sound, and one that's been batted around my circle of friends for quite some time.
Of course, so has the idea that we could limit population (and make disgusting amounts of money) by setting up a gourmet... uhm... let's call it a baby restaurant. But hey. Both could work. -
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CommentAuthorwill_butler
- CommentTimeDec 10th 2007
@ eggzoomin: I think the differentiation lies in the fact that procreation is a natural life process; as much so as breathing or dying. Driving cars and owning guns are not. It is not the place of the government to disallow its citizens a fundamental life process. And yes, I am opposed to previously imposed limitations on births in places like China and India.
Will -
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@Vespers: Heh, no, not actually dressed as Mussolini. I was being flippant. Quite like the long pig idea, too, although possibly just because I'm attracted to the idea of being able to ask for a FoetusBurger with extra cheese.
@will: yep, I fully realise that it's an extraordinarily intrusive thing to do and breaks a variety of inalienable rights. On the other hand, I see a lot of neglected kids - some sickeningly so - and wonder if it might actually have been better if they'd never been born. Personally, I refuse to have children for two reasons: firstly, I don't actually like them and secondly, I believe that kids require a level of care - emotionally, financially and temporally - that I just cannot offer; without it, you're not doing the best possible job as a parent and a child does deserve that. -
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CommentAuthorwill_butler
- CommentTimeDec 10th 2007
@eggzoomin: We are 100% totally on the same page as far as the reasons for not wanting kids. When I've mentioned to people that I have no desire to ever have children, I've been told that that's incredibly selfish. Bullshit. Selfish is bringing another life into this world (when there are millions upon millions already here who desperately need care) simply because one thinks that one's genetic makeup is so inconceivably special that it must be passed on. Were I to ever decide to have kids, they'd be adopted, for damn sure.
With that said, I have a cousin who has seven kids. They had the seventh one because they already had six, and (and this is my understanding, please correct me if I'm wrong) there's an enormous tax break when one has a seventh child. This absolutely sickens me. I'm a Libertarian, so I have no desire to see liberties curtailed by a government, but I wish to Christ that people would use some common sense and exercise those same precious liberties responsibly.
Will -
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I'm having a time out until I can learn some manners.Owning guns is a natural drive. Every responsible adult should own and no how to use a gun or they are being irresponsible. Allowing a government to have totaol control of yours and everyone's personal safety is a invitation to genocide.
I believe the idea that rather than punishing people for having kids which a lot of people will consider fascist we should reward people for not having kids.
If we gave poor people cash for having their tubes tied/vasectomies they and the kids they already have will have a better life. The people who come out against this
are the catholic church and other organizations that want their populations to grow to gain them more power. The Church already stopped the guy who started Planned parenthood from trying this in Quebec with families where the mom already had more than 5 kids. -
@will: No argument here. I'm completely pro-adoption, to the extent that I wish there were some way to push it over and above the conventional method of acquisition.
As an aside re responsibility, there was a family whose children were at school with me; there were quite a few - probably six-plus - and they were dirt poor and distinctly eccentric; their parents, when asked about their reasons for spawning this brood despite lack of financial ability to cope, said they considered it their duty to repopulate the world with better people. Scary. -
I'm having a time out until I can learn some manners.The lower your IQ the more cash you should get. I like the idea of good things happening to the poor dumb basterds anyway.
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CommentAuthorwill_butler
- CommentTimeDec 10th 2007
@Unsub: I'm 100% for the 2nd amendment, even though I realize it to be a largely antiquated relic of a bygone age. And re: your views on rewarding sterilization: since we're on the forum of a comic creator, have you read Concrete - The Human Dilemma? It's a ridiculously great story, and definitely touches on the points you bring up.
@eggzoomin: I know what you mean. At my work for Christmas, my unit has adopted a family. I'm totally down with this as opposed to swapping more meaningless shit to clutter up our homes, but the family we've adopted has eight fucking kids. I'm sorry, but at this point in time, one would hope that one would examine one's beliefs and give some deep thought to whether or not you're doing a potential kid a favor by binging him/her into a world in which they're going to jockey for position with seven fucking siblings. Christ.
Will -
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I'm having a time out until I can learn some manners.I have not read Concrete but I will definitly check it out. I don't usually go for the quirky indy stuff but the exceptions are usually really good.
Where I live nurses are not even allowed to mention birth control on the reserve and it is considered unthinkable.
More than half the population up here is under 15 and it is the poor uneducated and completely undisciplined part of the population.
It is a lot more like africa(a lot colder though) than North America. We have a serious TB problem. Families with 13 kids and 5 generations all on welfare is the norm.
It is insane expecting anyone to go from a stone age society to the 21st century and actively prevent any assimilation and not expect chaos.
I am buying a compound with a well and lots of guns. -
- CommentAuthorF. David Swallow II
- CommentTimeDec 10th 2007
I'm having a time out until I can learn some manners.I completely understand the desire to want breeding licensed, but its simply unpractical. You would have to control weather or not people had sex.
an well.... you weren't supposed to be able to have sodomy but people did it anways, so i dont think thats likely.
The real problem is stupid people reproducing. I can't understand why education isn't a suggestion.
On a similar topic I was just wondering how the TV and Radio License work the U.K.? -
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CommentAuthorwill_butler
- CommentTimeDec 10th 2007
You'll not be disappointed. I've read every (to my knowledge) Concrete story, and I honestly think The Human Dilemma to be the best yet. Just beautiful.
And I understand the compound thinking. I'm currently building a cabin in the middle of the woods in south Georgia right now. I just want to putter around, write a bit, drink some whiskey, and be left the fuck alone during the coming apocalypse.
Will -
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I'm having a time out until I can learn some manners.There is a thing on Youtube about a guy who went and built a cabin in Alaska and stayed there for about 30 years.
It is inspiring. Also the guy from Survivorman has some shows up about how he built a place in the woods that was
totally self sufficient. wind and solar ,well water etc. One good thing about where I live I found a nice quarter section(160 acres)
with a mobile home and some outbuildings well ,power ges etc on a all season road about 45KMs from town for less than 70 grand. -
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CommentAuthorwill_butler
- CommentTimeDec 10th 2007
Heheheh, I know you must be speaking of Alone in the Wilderness. I've seen it many times, as my father's an enormous fan. The fact of the matter is that I love people and the ideas they harbor, and don't necessarily mean to be a hermit. I'm mainly building the cabin as I can't think of any other way for a 27 year old man to own his own home debt-free. Best of luck with your plans.
Will -