What is eugenics?

In the past, social oppressions restricted the capacity of most of the human gene pool to throw up the most able to be upwardly mobile and operate effectively. The masses were usually kept down as serfs, bound to the situations they were born into. However, when people were given freedom in the modern age, the gene pools were able to produce a tremendous flourishing of talent and ability. One example is how the descendants of convicts sent to Australia made good with the opportunities in their new country.

Education has been regarded as the magic wand to develop everyone's potential. The welfare states have sought to give opportunity to everyone, supplying improved health and environmental conditions. But it has not worked out to produce all the anticipated results. There is still enormous waste of people. Much of it for the same old reasons. Still, awful conditions and misfortunes at any time from conception on can blight lives.

There are now other factors that can affect almost the whole of society, and that can be global factors. These are cultural. Since whingers and wowsers have consistently down the ages cried 'Wolf' about what the world is coming to, should we be at all concerned that a Wolf may eventually turn up?

We should look at the evidence.