Should we sterilise the poor?

Interesting question, don't you think?

At first glance it doeasn't even merit discussion. The answer is "no". Isn't it?

However, the idea has reared its rather ugly face twice recently. Well known Eugenics fan Toby Young has suggested selecting embryos for intelligence as a way out of poverty.

Add to that, Ben Bradley's suggestion that vasectomies are the way to stem a "vast sea of unemployed wasters" and you have a question that needs answering.

These are two mainsream members of the Tory right wing. Young was well enough regarded to be given a role supervising Universities, Bradley is a vice chair of the Tory parliamentary party. So neither of them are so divorced from Government that they can be regarded as mavericks.

So, can we selectively breed poverty out of the human race? Would we want to?

Interesting question, don't you think?

 

At first glance it doeasn't even merit discussion. The answer is "no". Isn't it?

 

However, the idea has reared its rather ugly face twice recently. Well known Eugenics fan Toby Young has suggested selecting embryos for intelligence as a way out of poverty.

 

Add to that, Ben Bradley's suggestion that vasectomies are the way to stem a "vast sea of unemployed wasters" and you have a question that needs answering.

 

These are two mainsream members of the Tory right wing. Young was well enough regarded to be given a role supervising Universities, Bradley is a vice chair of the Tory parliamentary party. So neither of them are so divorced from Government that they can be regarded as mavericks.

 

So, can we selectively breed poverty out of the human race? Would we want to?

Tell us what you think? Not what others think or propose.

Interesting question, don't you think?

 

At first glance it doeasn't even merit discussion. The answer is "no". Isn't it?

 

However, the idea has reared its rather ugly face twice recently. Well known Eugenics fan Toby Young has suggested selecting embryos for intelligence as a way out of poverty.

 

Add to that, Ben Bradley's suggestion that vasectomies are the way to stem a "vast sea of unemployed wasters" and you have a question that needs answering.

 

These are two mainsream members of the Tory right wing. Young was well enough regarded to be given a role supervising Universities, Bradley is a vice chair of the Tory parliamentary party. So neither of them are so divorced from Government that they can be regarded as mavericks.

 

So, can we selectively breed poverty out of the human race? Would we want to?

No, of course not. The capitalist system is a competative system and therefore there will always be winners and losers. In this case losers = poor.

And if a capitalist system is working corectly those positions can (or should) be able to change. Who is to say who will end up on top?

What Toby Young and co are actually advocating is wiping out the 'underclass' which is a form of genocide isn't it? Would that include the disabled as well, who are generally poor? Didn't Hitler have a similar idea?

Sterilising the terminally stupid however is another option. That would probably wipe out half the politicians in the country.

You can't cure poverty by breeding.

You can't cure poverty by breeding.

You can cure it if you get rid of the Conservative party.

We would have a population even more top heavy with old people than we do now - and nobody to care or them in residentional/nursing homes.

Im all for reducing population but forced sterilisation sounds a bit like the Nazis to me.

Interesting question, don't you think?

 

At first glance it doeasn't even merit discussion. The answer is "no". Isn't it?

 

However, the idea has reared its rather ugly face twice recently. Well known Eugenics fan Toby Young has suggested selecting embryos for intelligence as a way out of poverty.

That would be a variation of the undeserving poor argument.

Poor people aren't poor (in the majority of cases) because they lack intelligence.

What they often lack is education, but that's also not really through any fault of their own, unless you count being born to poor parents to be someone's fault.

So it doesn't really need answering. The axioms that the question stems from need examining and proving to be false.

---------- Post added 17-01-2018 at 15:20 ----------

And all immigrants sponging and milking the system

And anyone that believes this is the problem...

So, can we selectively breed poverty out of the human race? Would we want to?

I'd actually be in favour of some form of population control, not killing people off, but perhaps restricting number of births per woman (as an example).

Over population is a serious problem (and it's getting worse, fast), in fact, you could say it's the primary issue we face as a species, and most other significant issues arise as a consequence of over population.

As for your point; killing off the poor would not help, as it would just create new poor. Those in positions of power and control would invariably stylise things such that they acquire more power and resources, from those with less. In addition, how many rich people do you think would be willing to perform all the work tasks that poorer people currently do?

EDIT: I think your question perhaps overlooks the idea that poor people have just as much right to be alive as rich people.

I'd actually be in favour of some form of population control, not killing people off, but perhaps restricting number of births per woman (as an example).

How do you apply that in a moral way?

 

As for your point; killing off the poor would not help, as it would just create new poor. Those in positions of power and control would invariably stylise things such that they acquire more power and resources, from those with less. In addition, how many rich people do you think would be willing to perform all the work tasks that poorer people currently do?

There is even more to it than that. Firstly, the link between genetics and intelligence isn't very well understood, so that presents a practical problem. Also, selective breeding for desired characteristics also selects other, often unforseen characterisics. Ask your nearest Bulldog, for details.

All quite apart from the fact that it is a repulsive idea in the first place.

How do you apply that in a moral way?

What's moral about it? No humans, no morals, no problems. The planet will be fine without a single human on it.

That literally makes no sense.