* * * * * * * * * *
Did I ever tell you about my $300 plan?
If I were King of the World, I would institute a system that would give $300 to every young man (say, ages 18 to 25) if he would have a vasectomy, which would be provided at no cost to him. One $300 per person.
Now, this doesn't have to be $300. It could be $200, it could be $500. Whatever figure creates a significant volume of applicants worldwide. But it has to be the same amount everywhere, from San Francisco to Sierra Leone. No regional differences.
What would this accomplish? It would reduce population in the areas of the world where the local environment cannot support the volume of people that they have. You know that there are places like that. Charities have been telling you about that all your life. Secondly, in affluent areas, the most irresponsible people will be motivated by a hunk of quick cash not to reproduce, thus greatly increasing the quality of life for all those who do get born. Furthermore, the aforementioned irresponsible people will see this as a desireable safety feature.
The most poverty-stricken parts of the world would automatically get higher value from the $300, and presumably more participants. The worse life is in your country or town, the better that $300 will look, and the more beneficial it will be to your life.
In the most affluent areas, those who know that they are irresponsible can get the vasectomy, have the issue of paternity* over with for all, and they can pick up $300 cash for Friday night's bar bill in the process. And maidens everywhere will be under less pressure from both pregnancy and the abortion question.
Potential problems? Some people will cheat. Some people will go get it reversed immediately. Some people will lie about it to the aforementioned maidens. But if cheating were a reason not to do something, the first thing to go would have to be the Income Tax.
Another objection would be that the relatively smarter people would do it and the relatively dumber people wouldn't, and consequently we'd eventually attain a higher mix of genetically dumb people. But that's what's happening with reproduction and reproductive control now. Nothing would change about that.**
This is a perfect idea. It is the best thing that the world can do to reduce global human suffering. Needless to say, it will never happen.
**********