Mr.
LionThis past month, on September 12th, Russian provinces held a "Day of Conception" giving women a portion of the day off work to go home and
procreate. Birth rates in Russia have been on the decline and many
provinces are taking on the concerns of its president by giving people
prizes if a child is born on the the Constitution Day, June 12th. The
prizes vary from money for education and homes to a brand new SUV.
WOW!
That's all I can say. Imagine the number of people signing up for that
here in the U.S.
Forget 4th of July fireworks, you'd hear babies
crying all night. I guess it does make sense to give couples prizes to have kids - they've had a population crisis in Russia! If people weren't already procreating, let's give them a reason
to, right?
If the U.S. had a population crisis, would you hook up with a random person on that day to get a SUV?
What about ten thousand dollars? Or do you need more than just the car?
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Comments (25)
at my age, no... i'm not capable of taking care of a child yet, suv or not. but if i was older and married, i probably would choose now to start trying to get pregnant... that's some good incentive to sway people who aren't 100% sure they want to have kids.
but it seems like it might also give rise to the irresponsible parent population... anyone who's willing to have a kid just for an suv probably wouldn't make the best parent. :/
as an afterthought... if they're only giving women half the day off to procreate, who're they supposed to go procreate with? o.O;
I definetly wouldn't hook up with a random person. I already want a child..so I'd have a baby for a SUV or $10,000 with my boyfriend haha.
Although I think it's kinda wrong, to put a price on a child..
@xwolfae@xanga - Assuming half a work day is four hours, and that each sexual encounter is about ten minutes, a woman could conceivably (horrid pun, I know) have over twenty chances at fertilization, so I presume they are supposed to procreate with as many men as possible. One has to be efficient if you're going to have a good chance to win the prize, after all. :)
GO RUSSIA!!!!! MAKE MORE HOT MEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Wow, that's crazy.
Nope, I would not go make babies with a random person for an SUV nor $10,000. A child is a long life commitment. Who's to say how long the SUV or $10,000 last. Besides, brand new SUVs are worth more than $10,000.
On the other hand, if I was married and ready to have a kid, sure, I would probably try and win, but only in those circumstances.
well, i would hope if they give women the day off to procreate, they would do the same for men!
that being said, i wouldn't hook up with a random person. my fiance, sure, after we were married. but only if we were ready, and as of right now, we're not.
No, I wouldn't hook up with a random person. Giving my genes randomly is not my thing. Having a baby is not just about having a baby. There are many things that come after that.
Love, peace, and chicken grease!
I think it would be okay if the couple were married and have a stable relationship. Giving incentives just to pop out babies really seems like they're not keeping the best interest of the child in mind.
Maybe later. Not in a good position right now.
i am fairly certain that i would need more reason to have a child. Prizes for having kids? 20 years of your life signed away to the care of said child, Surprise!
Um...did the women have to sign up or sleep with random men as a condition of that day? If it was just with their partner...why are you asking us if we would sleep with random people?
I highly doubt anyone who has someone, or even people that don't, would say "Awww fuckit that guy down the block that I don't know and could potentially have an STI that could be a life changing situation looks like a good mate! Me and him should have sex and have a baby for that shiny, brand new SUV that me nor him will be able to afford the gas prices for!"
That said, I sleep with my boyfriend and only my boyfriend until he is no longer my boyfriend. Then the next person I sleep with will be my significant other in our established relationship. Additionally, I have no plans for babies until the future and wouldn't have one just for the sake of money or a new car.
I would hook up with my fiance, of course
Prize or no prize!
Go Russia! It's not like their the first civilization to do this... they just have the best incentives to date!
Lots of countries are actually having a decline in birth rate right now, largely because it's hard to raise a family with only one income, but it's also hard to raise a family when both parents are working. It's fucking expensive to have kids and there are a few places in Europe too where they are starting to offer incentives/financial aid to have children. I would definitely say this is a good idea.
I think that having a material incentive for having a child will, in the long run, degrade the idea of family that we have now (that two people who love each other come together and have children that they love and that complete their family and continue the cycle... what can I say? I'm a romantic with an intact family - I can dream.) Plus, imagine telling your kid that they exist just for the monetary bonus that came with them. *~*
I wouldn't hook up with someone random; that's just ridiculous. Once you've conceived, that random guy isn't off the hook, he's a father. I think the "randomly conceive for a car" idea is insane.
As for the population crisis... I think I'd have to understand more about the long-term effects of that to determine whether I'd change my previous family plans.
You have to wonder why birth rates are on the decline in the first place.
But no, I wouldn't hook up with some random person just to have kids. Unless, of course, I was one of maybe 10 people left on earth.
Whoa, no way would I sleep with anyone to have a baby unless I really wanted to start a family. As far as I see it, I'm too young for that and need to enjoy a good portion of my twenty's. Besides, once the baby is born that $10,000 wouldn't be for much because of hospital bills and such, unless they plan to pay for that as well.
how does this work if they only gave the women time off? doesn't it take two? just my opinion....
Whenever you put a dollar value on having a baby, you diminish the joy of having a child.
It also opens up a whole can of worms later... such as: what happens when (if) the child grows up to find out that the only reason he/she was conceived was so that the parents could get a financial windfall? How will it make that child feel?
They have done something similar in Australia - it's called the "baby bonus" and it's a $3000 government grant to help with the raising of the child. Sorry, but not only is the $3000 grossly inadequate, but that "bonus" will not go towards the child at all - more like a new TV for the parents.
In sum? Bad idea. VERY bad idea.
I don't think any amount of money in the world will be enough to make me want to make a baby. I'd like to create a baby on my own time frame, thank you very much! I also think it makes the whole experience a little cheap by saying if you have a baby by a certain time, you win a free car!
Although, this practice in Russia is not uncommon. I've heard about it in other countries too. They pay a certain amount per child you have.. It was in some article in the NYTimes magazine a few months back about the population decline in Europe & how alarming it was. I just can't believe the government would resort to monetary incentives.. What happens when they run out of money? What will they do then? Like if they hit a bad economy like now.. lol.
Only $10,000? That's not even enough to cover day care, formula and diaper in one year. Maybe if they gave me more $$$, a house and a suv all together...hum...tempting.
This is hilarious.
That would be a disaster for hospitals. I work in one, and man, they hate fall, because of all the New Year's and Valentine's babies. Do yourself a favor to get a non-exasperated doctor and nurse by not going for this. haha
Children cost WAY more than $10,000 in the long run, hahaha. And we have to keep paying for gas for the SUV. So, no.
teehee. Crazy Russians. Ah, motherland!