Jonathan Swift’s A Modest Proposal—the ultimate in biting satire. If you’ve never read it, buckle up because this essay is not your typical “let’s fix society” think piece. In fact, it’s more like a “let’s fix society by suggesting something so utterly outrageous that people have no choice but to realize how insane their current ideas are.” And what was Swift’s suggestion, you ask? Well, nothing too crazy—just, you know, eating babies to solve poverty and overpopulation in Ireland. Yep, that happened.
But before you go thinking Swift was just a deranged 18th-century man with a taste for the dramatic, keep in mind this was pure satire. His point wasn’t to encourage people to chow down on infants (thank goodness)—he was using extreme exaggeration to call out the absurd, heartless policies of the wealthy elite that were supposed to help the poor but really just made things worse. Sound familiar? Because, let’s be honest, Swift could’ve written this yesterday, and it would still resonate today.
“Helpful” Ideas From the Elite: Swift Would Be Rolling His Eyes
We’ve all seen it: the well-intentioned but totally disconnected proposals from those in power, usually wealthy elites, who genuinely think they’re doing the right thing—when in reality, their “solutions” are often so out of touch with the struggles of real people that they end up causing more harm than good. You know the type: politicians and celebrities tweeting from their multimillion-dollar mansions about how everyone should embrace policies that, in practice, do nothing but increase the burden on those who are already struggling.
In Swift’s time, the ruling class was offering all sorts of “solutions” to poverty in Ireland that were more about protecting their wealth and comfort than actually helping the poor. The “modest” part of Swift’s proposal was the joke—because it was anything but modest. His essay was a direct slap in the face to those who thought of the poor as little more than statistics to be managed.
Jump to 2024, and we’ve still got our fair share of “modest proposals” coming from those who’ve probably never had to worry about where their next meal is coming from. Like when an elite leftist suggests that we should all drive electric cars to save the environment while completely ignoring the fact that most working-class families can’t exactly shell out $50,000 for a Tesla. Or when they promote rent control policies that, in theory, protect tenants but in reality reduce the supply of affordable housing and make the market even more competitive. I can practically hear Swift laughing in his grave.
The Modern-Day Modest Proposal: How “Solutions” Backfire
One of the things Swift nails in A Modest Proposal is how these supposedly “well-meaning” ideas often end up hurting the very people they’re supposed to help. Take, for instance, some of the modern-day policies aimed at solving issues like poverty, housing, or education. There’s no shortage of plans and programs that look great on paper but fall apart when they hit the real world.
It’s like when someone suggests raising taxes on everyday goods to fund a pet project, completely ignoring that the higher cost of living will hurt the very people they claim to be helping. Or when luxury environmental policies are pushed that seem virtuous but end up crippling small businesses or costing working families their jobs. Swift would have a field day with this stuff.
At the end of the day, Swift’s satire wasn’t just about poking fun at the ridiculous ideas of his time—it was about calling out the way the elite often treat the poor as an abstract problem to solve, rather than as real people with real struggles. He was showing that, when the powerful don’t actually understand what it’s like to live paycheck to paycheck (or, in his day, to starve), their solutions are more likely to cause harm than good. Sound familiar? Because we’ve still got plenty of “modest proposals” floating around today.
Satire That’s Still Relevant Today: Swift’s Genius
What makes A Modest Proposal so brilliant—and so relevant—is that Swift didn’t just criticize the policies of the elite. He used their own twisted logic against them, taking their cold, detached approach to its extreme conclusion. You think the poor are nothing more than mouths to feed? Fine, let’s feed them to you. Swift’s proposal was so outrageous that it forced people to think about how ridiculous their own ideas were when taken to their logical endpoint. And honestly, we could use more of that kind of satire today.
Just imagine what Swift would do with some of the modern “solutions” that come from our elite. He’d probably write a proposal suggesting that we solve the climate crisis by forcing the poor to power our cities with bicycles—because hey, it’s green, right? Or that we solve homelessness by making the rich rent out their extra bedrooms, with a good dose of sarcasm thrown in for good measure.
And it’s not that these people don’t care—many of them genuinely do. It’s just that, like the wealthy landowners in Swift’s time, they’re often too far removed from the realities of everyday life to see how their ideas will actually play out in practice.
The Takeaway: Solutions Need More Than Good Intentions
What can we learn from A Modest Proposal (besides not taking policy advice from people who suggest eating babies)? It’s this: good intentions aren’t enough. If you really want to help people, you need to listen to them, understand their struggles, and create solutions that actually work in the real world—not just in theory. Swift’s essay may have been over-the-top satire, but the point still stands. We need more thoughtful, compassionate solutions and fewer “modest proposals” that backfire spectacularly.
So next time you hear a grand idea that seems like it’s too good (or too ridiculous) to be true, take a step back and think: is this really helping people, or is it just a “modest proposal” in disguise?
Action Steps:
- Think Critically About Grand Proposals: The next time you hear about a new policy or idea that sounds great on paper, take a moment to consider how it might affect people in real life. Does it really solve the problem, or does it just create new ones?
- Listen to Those Affected: If you want to help solve an issue, start by listening to the people who are actually affected. Their perspectives are essential in crafting solutions that will work in practice, not just in theory.
- Don’t Fall for Performative Activism: Beware of flashy ideas that look good on the surface but lack substance. Real change comes from thoughtful action, not just well-meaning intentions. Look for solutions that address the root of the problem, not just the symptoms.