“Share, not Bear.”

This is an idea for a television series. The setting would be a post-catharsis world, perhaps about 2050. A generation prior, humankind came to the realization that for our species to persist, required would be a vast reduction in our numbers. After a long international debate it was decided that among other measures, one-half the girl babies would be sterilized when born based on an elaborate, yet equitable, lottery system.  The show would portray the value system of this resulting generation as having been shaped by an evolved child-rearing mantra: “Share, not Bare.”

The show would depict child rearing practices where parenthood responsibilities are shared by handfuls of concerned adults. It seems to me that this imagined situation would generate a very interesting dialog among possible characters.

For example, one might be the conversation between two sisters, each with a demanding career outside her home. Only one of the sisters bears children while the other is sterile. However, the sterile sister is a welcome and equal partner in the mom role and responsibilities. Perhaps as fascinating might be the lamentations of a grandparent who reminisces about how it used to be.

Perhaps as important as the possibilities for rich and novel character dynamics would be the portrayal of many novel human perspectives.  One such would be a diminished urge for and importance of personal fulfillment through parenthood. For example, a character could be shown gaining fulfillment through nurturing an ecosystem. “The personal fulfillment you derived from childbearing, Grandma,” the younger character might say, “I am now getting by ‘foster-parenting’ this orphaned, near to extinction other species.”