<
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/ng-interactive/2025/may/04/maga-soft-eugenics>
"English polymath Francis Galton formulated the concept of eugenics in 1883.
Inspired by animal breeding, Galton encouraged people with “desirable” traits
to procreate while discouraging or preventing those with “undesirable” traits
from doing the same. As social and intellectual qualities were hereditarily
“fixed”, he thought some groups were naturally superior. Galton constructed a
racial hierarchy, with white Europeans at the top.
Eugenics has since played out in varying, always tragic ways. Attempted
genocides and forced sterilization are first to mind, though the 20th century
brought about the concept of soft eugenics: non-coercive methods of reducing
certain conditions through individual choice and medical advice. Popularized in
Nancy Stepan’s 1991 book,
The Hour of Eugenics, “soft” eugenics is
accomplished by indirect, environmental, and educational interventions while
“hard” eugenics is marked by direct biological interventions (such as
sterilization). The term has since been expanded in discussions of genetic
technologies, prenatal screenings, and physical fitness.
Enter Robert F Kennedy Jr, the US secretary of health, who regularly laments
over the “back then” of his youth when he says that diabetes and autism was
almost unheard of and obesity rates were far lower. (In his campaign videos he
would often do this over vintage footage of white bodies splayed on a beach.)
Kennedy champions living harmoniously with nature, free from the burdens of
“poisonous” food additives, fertilizers, cooking oils and the most toxic
chemistry of all: vaccines.
Kennedy’s myopic emphasis on personal responsibility as the main driver of
health means he’s at best indifferent, and at worst welcoming, of the idea that
those that don’t heed his counsel might die.
Yet health is never simple. By avoiding discussion of education, employment,
social support networks, economic status and geographic location – the social
determinants that public health experts agree influence health outcomes –
Kennedy, in lockstep with top wellness influencers, is practicing soft
eugenics.
He’s not the only member of the Trump administration to do so. The increasing
frenzy around immigration seems fueled by the desire to shape the population’s
genetic makeup. Musk’s cuts to foreign aid are already leading to increased
child mortality and HIV and malaria cases in Africa (the Trump administration’s
other main policy engagement with Africa has been offering white South Africans
refugee status).
At the heart of all these policies is soft eugenics thinking – the idea that if
you take away life-saving healthcare and services from the vulnerable, then you
can let nature take its course and only the strong will survive."
Via Susan ****
Cheers,
*** Xanni ***
--
mailto:xanni@xanadu.net Andrew Pam
http://xanadu.com.au/ Chief Scientist, Xanadu
https://glasswings.com.au/ Partner, Glass Wings
https://sericyb.com.au/ Manager, Serious Cybernetics
