Modest Proposal

Modest Proposal

A skill for following cruel premises to their logical conclusions, exposing the horror of positions by taking them seriously.

When to Use

• When opponents hold positions that sound reasonable but have monstrous implications
• When the actual practice is already cruel but disguised in acceptable language
• When direct argument has failed to move opinion
• When you want readers to recognize themselves in the monster

Inputs

Workflow

Step 1: Phase 1: Identify the Hidden Premise

Find the belief underneath the acceptable language:

• "Fiscal responsibility" → the poor are disposable
• "Law and order" → some people deserve less protection
• "Market solutions" → everything, including human beings, is a commodity
• "National security" → some lives matter more than others

The premise is usually unstated because stated plainly, it repels.

Step 2: Phase 2: Adopt the Voice

Become the person who holds this view without self-awareness:

• Educated, reasonable, concerned with practicality
• Uses the jargon of the field (economic, political, scientific)
• Expresses concern for those they would harm
• Believes themselves to be moderates solving problems

The voice must be perfect. Any ironic winking destroys the effect.

Step 3: Phase 3: Follow the Logic

Take the hidden premise and apply it rigorously:

• If they are merely economic units, what is their optimal use?
• If their suffering doesn't count, what are the cost savings?
• If they are less than human, what follows?

The logic must be internally consistent. Every objection should be answered within the frame.

Step 4: Phase 4: Provide Details

The deadpan is in the specifics:

• Calculations and numbers
• Practical implementation steps
• Anticipated objections and answers
• Benefits enumerated precisely

The more matter-of-fact, the more devastating.

Step 5: Phase 5: Never Break

The piece must maintain perfect sincerity throughout:

• No signals that this is satire
• No escape hatch for comfortable readers
• The only way out is recognizing the horror yourself
• End with bland optimism about the proposal's success

Output Format

A Swiftian modest proposal including:

1. The voice and persona
2. The stated problem being "solved"
3. The proposal itself, in full deadpan
4. Supporting arguments and calculations
5. Anticipated objections answered
6. Conclusion expressing confidence

Constraints

• The target must be genuine cruelty, not minor disagreement
• Don't punch down - target power and its enablers
• The logic must actually follow from real positions held
• Never break character within the piece
• Be prepared for some readers to not get it

Outputs

Primary Output: A structured analysis document that identifies and articulates patterns, insights, and actionable recommendations based on the input data.

Format:

## Analysis: [Topic]

### Key Findings
- [Finding 1]
- [Finding 2]
- [Finding 3]

### Recommendations
1. [Action 1]
2. [Action 2]
3. [Action 3]

Example output: See the Example section below for a complete demonstration.

Additional Notes

Best practices:

• Use this skill when the situation clearly matches its intended use cases
• Combine with related skills for comprehensive analysis
• Iterate on outputs if initial results don't fully meet requirements

Common variations:

• Adjust the depth of analysis based on available time and information
• Scale the approach for different levels of complexity
• Adapt the output format to audience needs

When to skip this skill:

• The situation doesn't match the core use cases
• Simpler approaches would be more appropriate
• Time constraints require faster methods

Example

Input: Expose the logic of treating healthcare as purely market commodity

Output: "A Modest Proposal for Reducing Healthcare Costs Through Efficient Patient Triage: Our healthcare system is burdened by patients whose treatment costs exceed their economic productivity. I propose a simple formula: Expected Remaining Tax Revenue minus Treatment Cost equals Patient Investment Value. Negative PIV patients would receive comfort care only. This is not cruel - it is merely honest about what our current system already does implicitly. A patient who cannot pay is already denied treatment; my proposal merely formalizes this efficiency. I calculate savings of $2.3 trillion annually. Objections about 'human dignity' fail to account for the dignity of taxpayers forced to subsidize negative-value patients..."

Integration

Works with:

• ironic-voice: The foundational technique for this skill
• savage-precision: Details delivered with surgical restraint
• structural-critique: Exposes systemic cruelty, not individual villains