On this special weekend episode of Based Camp, we spitball more out-there programs that might aid marriage. It’s a fairly un-serious (though we would love to actually implement some of these things, to be clear, and we also talk about our very real matchmaking plans for our own kids) conversation between the two of us where we mostly have fun.
You know what we also love? Dialog with you. Please keep your great topic suggestions coming!
Episode Notes
I saw a hysterical headline on Drudge Report: “HERITAGE ‘marriage camps’ spark outcry…:
And clicked through to a USA Today article by Kate Perez, in which she writes:
“Social media users are denouncing the idea of “marriage bootcamps” as “ridiculous” and “demographic control” online after an unadopted policy plan from the conservative think tank that helped create Project 2025 proposed the camps as a way to boost birthrates.”
This turned out to be clickbait; Perez clarifies way further down in the article:
“The report also floated the idea of “marriage bootcamps” that aim to cover topics like communication, money management and conflict resolution for “cohabiting couples with children.” The successful completion of the program would conclude with couples “ready to walk down the aisle at a communal wedding,” the report states, and a potential $5,000 monetary incentive − funded by foundations or private donors − for couples to get married. Additionally, newlyweds would leave with a mentor couple to guide them through marriage following the wedding.”
So this is UTTERLY innocuous
But what if we were to actually create marriage bootcamps—or better yet, the Hunger Games, but for marriage? Would people voluntarily sign up?
People are getting desperate for solutions to dating that actually work to the extent that people are doing bits online where they pretend to be setting up random young men and women in grocery stores:
That clip was sent to us from Based Camper Andrew, who “saw this short and the comment on it “Bro is fixing population decline by himself”” and thought of us.
He asked: “What do you think of “cupid agents”, sponsored by either non-profits or the government to basically solve for modern men’s lack of approach experience and their approach anxiety? I know we have no real sample size to see how this works, but maybe it would bridge the discrepancy between someone’s stated preferences (e.g.: 6 6s) versus what they would actually be willing to lay-with, date, marry, whatever if that person is more-or-less “in their lap”.”
So I thought it would be fun to spitball some ideas on this front.
Some ideas:
