Greetings from the Wasteland

The second season of Fallout on Amazon Prime Video is, I have to say, not disappointing in the slightest. While I’m no Vault-Tec historian by any stretch, I’m genuinely enjoying where the plot is going this season.

The characters are evolving in interesting ways, and the deeper backstory continues to unfold. That said, one thing Fallout has always done—whether in the games or the show—is center its narrative on searching. In the series it’s a wife and daughter. In Fallout 4, it’s your son. In Fallout 76, it’s usually your sanity. It’s a tried-and-true plot device, and honestly, it works.

I’ve also enjoyed Lucy’s evolution—particularly the moment she tries Buffout and suddenly becomes a little… unhinged. I suspect the Ghoul enjoys this version of her far more than he lets on.

Speaking of Unhinged… Let’s Talk About Sex

I’m often accused of “having opinions” about reproduction, despite having deliberately opted out of the reproductive circus. So let’s go there.

As a society, we love sex—but we’re terrified to admit it.

There are plenty of sex-positive people who openly acknowledge sex for pleasure, consent, and responsibility. They use protection. They talk about risks. They prepare.

And then there’s the other group.

The group that treats sex as “dirty,” whispers about it, and pretends it doesn’t exist—right up until they engage in it impulsively, often without protection. That’s when we see unintended pregnancies, disease transmission, and sometimes non-consenting injured parties. Tragically, these are often the same people pushing for legislation that criminalizes or restricts sex rather than educating people about it.

Living in a deeply religious state like Utah, this contradiction is hard to miss.

Abstinence, Impulsivity, and the Illusion of Control

Prohibition doesn’t lead to responsibility—it leads to impulsivity.

Many religious frameworks forbid masturbation, premarital sex, and any sexual expression outside narrowly defined rules. What happens instead is predictable: two very horny teenagers marry young so they can finally have “approved” sex. Babies follow quickly—often before either person has the emotional, financial, or psychological maturity to raise them.

During my years in healthcare, I saw this constantly: babies having babies.

People who never had time to grow into adulthood—no education, no travel, no sense of self outside parenthood—end up resenting both the life they missed and, sometimes, the children themselves.

Pregnancy as Performance

In many religious communities, pregnancy is treated like an achievement badge.

The recognition, praise, and attention can be intoxicating. It becomes a kind of high—validation for having sex in a way that’s finally sanctioned. But once the baby arrives? The attention disappears. Support dries up. Judgment takes its place.

It mirrors the broader cultural hypocrisy around abortion: society claims to care deeply about “saving children,” right up until they’re actually born. After that, we abandon the responsibility entirely.

If we’re going to force people to carry pregnancies, then we damn well need to commit to supporting those children after birth—healthcare, education, food security, housing. Otherwise, it’s not about protecting life. It’s about control.

Parenthood Is a Lifelong Commitment

Parenting doesn’t end at birth. It doesn’t end at 18.

The day-to-day responsibilities may change, but the commitment doesn’t. And chasing the next pregnancy while neglecting the children already here isn’t devotion—it’s avoidance.

No one is a perfect parent. There’s no instruction manual. Sometimes you can do everything “right” and still fail. All anyone can do is their best—but that best has to extend far beyond the moment of childbirth.

Choice Goes Both Ways

If you want children, have them—responsibly.

If you don’t want children, don’t have them—and no, that isn’t selfish. In fact, choosing not to bring a child into a situation where you’re unprepared or unwilling is far more ethical than having one for attention, approval, or obligation.

People need to be okay with both choices.

I know my parents wanted kids. I know my mom wanted us. I’m also fairly confident the dog was pleased with the arrangement.