On Thomas Malthus

Walking into the Renaissance festival the other day I made a comment about sterilizing stupid people. I don't think I actually suggested it; just seeing all the people in costume led to someone commenting on population control, to which I mentioned "Malthusian belts."

"What?"
"No? Thomas Malthus? Brave New World? Nothing?"
"Who?"
"He was this guy who advocated sterilizing the disabled and mentally handicapped. He was kind of a dick."
"Is- Is this a real thing?"
"The belt? No, it was just a contraceptive device used in the book."

Now, I'm not for sterilizing anyone, but I would still totally be for a basic parenting licensing exam. We put 17 year olds behind the wheel of a car after some minor practice and a five-hour. Would it really be so horrible to demand hopeful parents to attend a cheap/free basic course to ensure they're not horrible, abusive assholes?

Consider this: foster parents have to go through an intense screaning process to ensure that they are physically, financially, and emotionally fit enough to take care of someone else's kid. Meanwhile, a crackhead can produce that same child for about five minutes of "grunt work."

And my family keeps asking when I'm gonna settle down and start having kids. Pfft.