Where did the popular myth of "having too many children" originate?

[Questioner]

I'm curious where this popular myth so often played in mass media originated, and what it was based on, as well as why proposals such as penalizing people with "extra kids", which don't take into account factors such as children relative to their means, are believed to work?

 

[SSDD]

I'm curious where this popular myth so often played in mass media originated, and what it was based on, as well as why proposals such as penalizing people with "extra kids", which don't take into account factors such as children relative to their means, are believed to work?

From a quaint 16th century cleric and scholar...interesting that modern liberalism is quoting 16th century clerics now...most of them probably have no idea where the idea of population control came from...they probably think it came from one of their own folk heroes like lenin, or mao, or pol pot..

 

[Questioner]

I'm curious where this popular myth so often played in mass media originated, and what it was based on, as well as why proposals such as penalizing people with "extra kids", which don't take into account factors such as children relative to their means, are believed to work?

From a quaint 16th century cleric and scholar...interesting that modern liberalism is quoting 16th century clerics now...most of them probably have no idea where the idea of population control came from...they probably think it came from one of their own folk heroes like lenin, or mao, or pol pot..

Who, Malthus?

I've heard of him, but he was 19th century if I'm not mistaken.

(The irony is that it was likewise in the 16th century when beliefs such as a 6,000 year old earth originated, showing that even many "left-wing" ideas are quite old, if not archaic).

 

[RodISHI]

They're called the Good Club - and they want to save the world

 

[SSDD]

I'm curious where this popular myth so often played in mass media originated, and what it was based on, as well as why proposals such as penalizing people with "extra kids", which don't take into account factors such as children relative to their means, are believed to work?

From a quaint 16th century cleric and scholar...interesting that modern liberalism is quoting 16th century clerics now...most of them probably have no idea where the idea of population control came from...they probably think it came from one of their own folk heroes like lenin, or mao, or pol pot..

Who, Malthus?

I've heard of him, but he was 19th century if I'm not mistaken.

(The irony is that it was likewise in the 16th century when beliefs such as a 6,000 year old earth originated, showing that even many "left-wing" ideas are quite old, if not archaic).

Thomas Robert Malthus...born 1766...first came to prominence around 1798...

 

[Vastator]

I bet the idea started in pre history when some parents had to decide which of their own children would have to starve to death, so that the others may live...

 

[SSDD]

I bet the idea started in pre history when some parents had to decide which of their own children would have to starve to death, so that the others may live...

I doubt it...the loss of a child in very early times was considered to be a tragedy...every child was an additional body to be put to use gathering food and later when we changed from hunter gatherers to farmers, they were additional hands in the field..and they ate little compared to adults...it was the old, injured, and infirm that were put out to die...not the young.

Only the idiocy of liberalism would think that reducing the number of young, strong, healthy individuals while the existing population continues to grow older and weaker would be a good idea...that is one of the problems with liberalism...on the face of it, their ideas often sound like they have merit...the problem is that they run with what they think will make them feel good and rarely if ever, follow the inevitable results of their ideas to their logical conclusions...

For example...what do you think would happen if you offer young women a place to live out of their parent's home and actual money to spend if they get pregnant while they are still single? Can you foresee a cycle starting which will result in generational dependence on government hand outs and a isolated, very angry, male population circling the females in their government sponsored housing?

 

[anynameyouwish]

I'm curious where this popular myth so often played in mass media originated, and what it was based on, as well as why proposals such as penalizing people with "extra kids", which don't take into account factors such as children relative to their means, are believed to work?

if you earn X dollars per year

and can only afford Y number of children

do NOT have MORE than Y.

 

[Vastator]

I bet the idea started in pre history when some parents had to decide which of their own children would have to starve to death, so that the others may live...

I doubt it...the loss of a child in very early times was considered to be a tragedy...every child was an additional body to be put to use gathering food and later when we changed from hunter gatherers to farmers, they were additional hands in the field..and they ate little compared to adults...it was the old, injured, and infirm that were put out to die...not the young.

Actually prehistoric cave finds have shown that infanticide was not at all uncommon. The Chilling Ancient Practice of Infanticide Was Once Accepted as Normal
Let's stick with what we actually know, and can demonstrate. Our earliest ancestors weren't working the fields as agriculture hadn't yet been established...

Additionally archaeological evidence shows that prehistoric man cared for their Ill and infirm.
Archaeologists find prehistoric humans cared for sick and disabled – The Denver Post

 

[SSDD]

I'm curious where this popular myth so often played in mass media originated, and what it was based on, as well as why proposals such as penalizing people with "extra kids", which don't take into account factors such as children relative to their means, are believed to work?

if you earn X dollars per year

and can only afford Y number of children

do NOT have MORE than Y.

You are assuming that everyone works for currency...and assuming that every child lives...you must not be from a third world country...having children there is an entirely different proposition from having children in industrialized countries. Do you think they can afford to have a single child and simply hope that it lives till it can be on its own and hopefully take care of them as they will be much older by the time it happens?

 

[SSDD]

I bet the idea started in pre history when some parents had to decide which of their own children would have to starve to death, so that the others may live...

I doubt it...the loss of a child in very early times was considered to be a tragedy...every child was an additional body to be put to use gathering food and later when we changed from hunter gatherers to farmers, they were additional hands in the field..and they ate little compared to adults...it was the old, injured, and infirm that were put out to die...not the young.

Actually prehistoric cave finds have shown that infanticide was not at all uncommon. The Chilling Ancient Practice of Infanticide Was Once Accepted as Normal
Let's stick with what we actually know, and can demonstrate. Our earliest ancestors weren't working the fields as agriculture hadn't yet been established...

Did I not note that children assumed a different role once we stopped being hunter gatherers and became farmers?

And while infanticide was common during very tough times in prehistory, and even in later times, the number of children killed pales in comparison to the number of children we have been killing since the 70's in an age of plenty that our ancestors couldn't even imagine....we kill children now for reasons that rarely rise above the level of inconvenience...

 

[Vastator]

I bet the idea started in pre history when some parents had to decide which of their own children would have to starve to death, so that the others may live...

I doubt it...the loss of a child in very early times was considered to be a tragedy...every child was an additional body to be put to use gathering food and later when we changed from hunter gatherers to farmers, they were additional hands in the field..and they ate little compared to adults...it was the old, injured, and infirm that were put out to die...not the young.

Actually prehistoric cave finds have shown that infanticide was not at all uncommon. The Chilling Ancient Practice of Infanticide Was Once Accepted as Normal
Let's stick with what we actually know, and can demonstrate. Our earliest ancestors weren't working the fields as agriculture hadn't yet been established...

Did I not note that children assumed a different role once we stopped being hunter gatherers and became farmers?

And while infanticide was common during very tough times in prehistory, and even in later times, the number of children killed pales in comparison to the number of children we have been killing since the 70's in an age of plenty that our ancestors couldn't even imagine....we kill children now for reasons that rarely rise above the level of inconvenience...

While I agree with the current state of affairs being out of control. The thread asked where this idea began. I gave the most suitable answer I could offer support for...

 

[SSDD]

Like I said...the hypothesis can be traced back directly to Malthus...He was wrong and continues to be wrong...but the idea of deliberate population control as opposed to the sometimes necessary measure you mention came from Malthus.

Why Malthus Is Still Wrong