BY Lux Alptraum
July 19, 2007
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Birth control has been around, in one form or another, for several thousand years. It’s only recently, however, that it’s been reliable, effective, easy to use, and (perhaps most importantly) readily available. It may seem like a small thing, but the ability to plan parenthood has had a tremendous effect on society.

How much of an effect, you ask? Take a look at this piece by Margaret Sanger (found over at Paleo-Future by alert reader Irene Kaoru). Written in 1923, it predicts how birth control will reshape daily life over the course of the next hundred years:

Birth control will have become a part of education in health and hygiene. Women especially will be demanding it. They will realize that it is a foundation of freedom and intellectual development for them. Women cannot make real progress today so long as they are haunted by the fear of undesired pregnancy.

The results, in much shorter time than four or five generations, will be happier homes, greater mutual respect between husband and wife, honeymoons lasting two to three years before children arrive, with husband and wife thoroughly [unreadable] to one another, because there has been time for mutual understanding and development before parenthood is entered upon. There will be far more consideration for the mother and more understanding of her needs, with the result of better health and development for the infant as well as greater comfort for the mother. Four or five generations will develop new men and women with finer susceptibilities, nobler sentiments toward each other and a worthier sense of responsibility toward the race.

Boinkology is thinking of building a shrine to contraception, so we can properly thank our birth control for all its done.