Modest proposal

A 'modest proposal' refers to a satirical work or suggestion that is intentionally outrageous or extreme, often used to highlight the absurdity of a particular issue or to provoke thought and discussion. The term originates from Jonathan Swift's 1729 essay 'A Modest Proposal,' in which he ironically suggests that the impoverished Irish might ease their economic troubles by selling their children as food to rich gentlemen and ladies.