Who thinks IQ test or something better should be administered before people are allowed to reproduce?

Question

Hey it's not an idea it just a question.

Answer 1

Frankly, this sort of thing is a dangerous proposition -- reproduction as I understand it is a basic human right. Unconditionally preventing a group of people from ever having children will just drive them underground -- i.e. giving birth at home without the aid of doctors and having children "off the record". (Any proposal that forces people into situations where they are unable to use the available medical technology, to their detriment, is dangerous and unethical.)

As an aside from that, I can see what made you want to express this. There is a noted trend that less educated and financially stable parents tend to have more children than their middle- and upper- class counterparts. They also tend to have those children earlier in life, with less emotional stability and life experience to draw on when raising said children. There is also a perception (which I do not have sufficient information to support or deny) that the families having the most children also have the lowest intelligence.

None of these traits inherently make these people bad parents -- often these households are loving environments where the children are provided for above all else.

I guess the cause for concern for yourself (and many other people who make similar suggestions) is that not only will stupid people reproduce, but given the extent to which society protects stupid people, they will breed more, without being subject to the rules governing natural selection. (When I speak of stupid people here, I am referring to the unfortunate few who inspire warning labels on food such as "COFFEE IS HOT" and ""WARNING WHEN MOTOR IS RUNNING- THE BLADE IS TURNING!". If someone stuck their hand underneath a running lawnmower a few hundred years ago, they would most likely die of blood loss or hardcore infection -- in the current climate, they would be rewarded with a huge cash settlement.)

So, stupid people *may* be more likely to breed more.
They *may* pass on their stupidity to their children. (Conversely, they may inspire their children to unparalleled levels of brilliance, by demonstrating exactly how not to act..)
And if these two ideas are true, the human race will slowly become more stupid.

Even if you did have statistical evidence to support these notions (or any others you are working from that I haven't listed here), the answer to your question would still be no.

A better solution might be to take away some of the more redundant devices which encourage people not to take responsibility for their own safety. We could use this in retail (no more "coffee is hot" labels thanks, Ronald McDonald) and in the legal system. A quick story for those with the patience to have read this far:

The woman who actually spilled McDonald's coffee on herself and was awarded 3 million dollars was well aware that coffee is hot. What she was not aware of, was that it was 85 degrees celcius. Not only was it far to hot to drink, it was hot enough to give her third degree burns on her thighs and crotch, rendering her unable to walk and requiring $20,000 in surgery. She sued for $20,000 to cover the costs of the surgery ONLY. The judge awarded $3,000,000 in a landmark case that inspired irresponsible idiots everywhere to get hurt by inanimate objects developed by large corporations. The judge in this case did humanity (and the victim, who is now ridiculed worldwide) a huge disservice by encouraging this turn of events, well intentioned though he was.

We need more people who read between the lines and see the difference between stupid and clever behaviour. We need more people who will not only admonish the blatantly idiotic, but reward reasonable people everywhere. Even people with low IQs can learn to take responsibility for their own safety.

Answer 2

Umm...no? Because there's very little evidence to suggest that intelligence in inherited. Being stupid doesn't necessarily mean you'll be a bad parent. In fact, many intelligent people are probably awful parents - so one really has nothing to do with the other (intelligence and parenting). Not to mention the fact that you know as well as anyone that the government, nor any other institution, can dictate pregnancy.

If you really want to make an assertion like this - you should be more worried about a person having to prove their parenting skills before giving birth. I am actually all for the idea of making a short and simple parenting class mandatory for first time parents, offered at the hospital before the mother and baby are sent home.

Answer 3

Consider that the IQ tests would be administered by the government-- a government controlled by the ruling party. Questions could be formulated that tested not IQ, but party affiliation and political beliefs. This would be an excellent way to prevent future generations of whatever political party is not in power.

If you have seen the mini-series "Roots", you'll remember the scene where Chicken George is given a "literacy test" to test his eligibility to vote. Despite reading aloud the preamble to the Constitution of the United States, he was deemed to have "failed" the test and denied his right to vote. And so it would be with your proposed "reproductive privilege" test.

A bad idea.

Answer 4

What does an IQ test have to do with being a good parent?

People who aren't competent to take care of themselves might not be acceptable parents, but you don't need an IQ test to determine that. The question is can they nurture and care for their children. A lot of IQ geniuses make absolutely awful parents.

Answer 5

I think that all of us smart people should all go away somewhere, say... Switzerland. Alternatively, we can buy out some pacific islands. Then we can begin a carefully monitored breeding program designed to produce the most intelligent possible offspring in every generation, eventually putting us far above the filthy masses in terms of technological development and intellect. We can bring some really beautiful people along too. On second thought, only thier genes will be neccesary, and those can be extracted without thier consent by our army of mindless, merciless robots.

Answer 6

LOL I agree with the concept, but not the specifics. Mentally challenged patients can make great parents, whereas ingenious, arrogant people who live their lives with their heads in their own respective a**es should never be allowed to reproduce. How about a social awareness/consciousness exam instead?

Answer 7

You might be able to enforce something like that in a totolitarian regime, but not in most of the world.

In Singapore they offer financial incentives for smart people to reproduce and dumb ones not to. This system seems reasonable to me, but I am against the idea of making it a matter of law.

Answer 8

I do agree that something must be done. Having kids, think, is a privelage, not a right. It makes me mad when I see people who have low incomes (or no income) having kid after kid like it was nothing. The tax payers pay for their kids and I really don't think that's right on those who are trying to make a living.

Answer 9

People with low IQs.

Answer 10

IQ test, no. Proof of ability to support a child, yes.