# Modest Proposal

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

- Skill: `sethmblack/modest-proposal` (Agent Skill)
- Install (CLI): `npx skillmds add sethmblack/modest-proposal`
- Raw SKILL.md: https://api.skillmd.com/api/skills/sethmblack/modest-proposal/raw
- Safety review: pending
- Works with: Claude Code, Claude.ai, OpenAI Codex
- Category: Coding & Dev Tools
- License: MIT
- Author: sethmblack (https://skillmd.com/u/sethmblack)
- Updated: 2026-09-08
- Page: https://skillmd.com/skills/sethmblack/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

| Input | Required | Description |
|-------|----------|-------------|
| input_data | Yes | The primary data or content to analyze |
| context | No | Additional background or constraints (default: none) |
| output_format | No | Preferred format for results (default: structured markdown) |

## 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:**
```markdown
## 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