Babies Quote by Paula Poundstone
““There are those wonderful moments of clarity in life when one is reminded how irreparably flawed we humans are. Once, when I was nineteen, on the subway in Boston I lost my balance slightly and bumped into an elderly woman. I quickly apologized and she replied, "Well, hold on to something, stupid." There it is. That's it. That's it in a nutshell. I don't want to sound negative, but I think every fetus should be shown a film of that incident, maybe projected up on the uterine wall, and then asked if it wants to come out. I am a strong believer in a woman's right to choose, but I also think that in the last trimester, the kid should be given every opportunity to back out.””
About This Quote
Source Comedy: Stand-up routine by Paula Poundstone, 1990s
The anecdote highlights human imperfection and uses dark humor to argue for fetal awareness before birth, suggesting a choice to abort based on early life experience.
In simple terms: Humans are flawed; the joke pushes for fetal awareness before abortion.
Key Takeaway
Consider the ethics of fetal awareness.
Themes
ethics
humor
abortion
human flaw
choice
Mood
provocative
dark
thought‑provoking
Type
satirical
ethical
philosophical
When to use this quote
- medical ethics debates
- pro‑choice arguments
- public policy discussions
- personal decision making
Key Concepts
philosophical
satire
psychology
Questions to Reflect On
- Should fetal awareness be a factor in abortion decisions?
- How does humor affect serious ethical debates?
A Different Perspective
The humor may oversimplify complex moral and scientific issues.
