# Are men in general actually worred about this? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [November 13, 2007, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276 "2007-11-13T19:28:59Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/21 "2007-11-13T21:01:22Z")
[QUOTE=Sitnam] I dunno, are women worried about the advancements in sex bots? [/QUOTE] Or frogs that can cook? ---
**Author:** ![Thudlow\_Boink](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/thudlow_boink/32/320_2.png) [@Thudlow\_Boink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Thudlow_Boink)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/22 "2007-11-13T21:04:41Z")
I never worry about whether women want men around, I worry about whether they want **me** around. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/23 "2007-11-13T21:18:29Z")
I’d worry about this (or not) if the only reason women keep men around is for sperm. In my experience women find far more use from men as bored shopping companions, givers of flowers, and dress up dolls. If you’re a man who’s been married for ten years, what are you more likely to be doing on a Saturday night? a) Donating sperm b) Been dragged, against your will, through a mall? If you picked B, perhaps you look forward to cloning. ---
**Author:** ![Miss\_Woodhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/838e76/32.png) [@Miss\_Woodhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Miss_Woodhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/24 "2007-11-13T21:35:06Z")
I’ve had all the babies I want and I still like having Mr. Woodhouse around. I think I’m not alone in believing men are good for more than just donating sperm. That man sounds like an ultra conservative who would also fear “women’s lib.” (He may not be, but he sure sounds like other ultra conservative men I’ve known.) ---
**Author:** ![George\_Kaplin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3e96dc/32.png) [@George\_Kaplin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/George_Kaplin)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/25 "2007-11-13T21:40:44Z")
Well, _I’m_ worried about this, but only because I work in the purposefully hard to open jam jar industry. ---
**Author:** ![butler1850](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/779978/32.png) [@butler1850](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/butler1850)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/26 "2007-11-13T21:45:42Z")
As long as it gets cold at night, women will always want men to keep them warm. (We preheat the covers, which is why they steal them) 😃 ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/27 "2007-11-13T21:48:23Z")
[QUOTE=butler1850] As long as it gets cold at night, women will always want men to keep them warm. (We preheat the covers, which is why they steal them) 😃 [/QUOTE] Good point. And if women don’t have men around, who will they blame? ---
**Author:** ![AskNott](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/asknott/32/5790_2.png) [@AskNott](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AskNott)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/28 "2007-11-13T21:52:44Z")
Any man who thinks cloning will make him obsolete is a man who believes reproduction is his only useful purpose in the world. That’s a serious, dreadful self-esteem problem. I’ve had some very dark days in my life, but I never thought I was that worthless. ---
**Author:** ![Sanity\_Challenged](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9de053/32.png) [@Sanity\_Challenged](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sanity_Challenged)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/29 "2007-11-13T22:03:51Z")
A stunningly large percentage of the female population already finds me unnecessary, cloning or no. ☹ ---
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/30 "2007-11-13T22:04:05Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] I’d like to say that I understand what this means. After all, they’re words. They’re even in English. But if I said I had even a glimmer of insight into what they mean when strung together like that, I’d be lying. [/QUOTE] I have been labouring under a misapprehension: I always thought your username was in reference to the famous feminist slogan “A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” ---
**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/31 "2007-11-13T22:05:07Z")
I’m not worried. Women have made it quite clear that _I’m_ not necessary to them now, so why would I worry if the rest of the men joined me? ---
**Author:** ![Der\_Trihs](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/der_trihs/32/233_2.png) [@Der\_Trihs](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Der_Trihs)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/32 "2007-11-13T22:13:39Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] Is this something that men really worry about? [/QUOTE] Not really, except in a “what if some loonie future female genetic engineer decides that whipping up an anti-male virus is a good idea because of this ?” nightmare scenario. In the sense of normal women turning on men because of cloning, no. [QUOTE=What Exit?] No worries from me. No worries I have ever heard a fellow male express. It is quite the leap (of ignorance and paranoia) to come to that conclusion. What was he watching, Spock’s Brain? [/QUOTE] Perhaps he watched/read some of the interviews with extreme feminists who made comments after Dolly the Sheep was cloned about how now they can “get rid of” men, and decided that they represent normal women. Or read some of the feminist utopian/dystopian ( depending on your view ) fiction about societies where men have been all killed; the solution to violence being to kill all men you see. They may be a fringe, and incapable of carrying out their fantasies, but there are quite a few women who think like that. [QUOTE=AskNott] Any man who thinks cloning will make him obsolete is a man who believes reproduction is his only useful purpose in the world. That’s a serious, dreadful self-esteem problem. I’ve had some very dark days in my life, but I never thought I was that worthless. [/QUOTE] Nitpick : It’s a man who thinks that his only purpose **in the eyes of women** is reproduction. It’s more about cynicism/paranoia about women than low self esteem, IMHO. ---
**Author:** ![Grrr](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/grrr/32/146_2.png) [@Grrr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Grrr)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/33 "2007-11-13T22:27:26Z")
[QUOTE=Velma] I don’t know many women that, given the choice, would choose to clone over traditional methods. Sex with a man is still the easiest, cheapest, and by far the most pleasant way to get pregnant. Plus most women still want to raise children with the help of a man. I don’t think men have to worry. Plus, as someone else mentioned, there are still the spiders. [/QUOTE] Also, I’ve been hearing this silly little rumor that some women actually _like_ having sex with men. Sounds crazy I know. ---
**Author:** ![levdrakon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/49beb7/32.png) [@levdrakon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/levdrakon)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/34 "2007-11-13T22:28:10Z")
[QUOTE=jsgoddess] In an online conversation with a male acquaintance, he said that advancements in cloning made him nervous because “They’re showing women that men aren’t necessary.” Is this something that men really worry about? [/QUOTE] Well, women have the advantage right now because they can just go to a sperm bank. Or the local bar. Men can’t go to the local egg bank. But, by the time “advancements in cloning” make men superfluous, advancements in cloning and artificial wombs will make women superfluous. At some point we’ll achieve a sort of reproductive equality and maybe we’ll treat each other as equals. It’s not like all the men and women in the world are going to turn gay and want to raise children with each other. It’s feminist fear mongering of insecure men. ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/35 "2007-11-13T22:49:48Z")
[QUOTE=fishbicycle] Only men who belong to the tinfoil hat brigade would worry about something this stupid. [/QUOTE] As president of my local tinfoil hat brigade I must protest this demeaning statement. It’s not stupid at all. ---
**Author:** ![Cluricaun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/bb73d2/32.png) [@Cluricaun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cluricaun)\ **Post date:** [November 13, 2007, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/36 "2007-11-13T23:28:41Z")
[QUOTE=jjimm] I have been labouring under a misapprehension: I always thought your username was in reference to the famous feminist slogan “A woman without a man is like a fish without a bicycle.” [/QUOTE] No kidding, I thought the same thing. ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 12:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/37 "2007-11-14T00:52:55Z")
Me too. If it isn’t that, what is it? Anyway, no, I don’t feel threatened even by an explicit statement that men should be phased out by not making any more of them. I mean, who cares? If someone was suggesting men should be rounded up and culled, I might be glancing over my shoulder nervously, but if someone said they want their distant future descendants to live in a world where there are no men, why should I care? I won’t be there. So advancements in cloning don’t worry me at all. Furthermore. Either men are necessary, or they’re not: -If they’re \*not \*necessary, then women don’t need to be ‘shown’ this - they’ll figure it out for themselves, so there would be little point in fretting and trying to conceal it. -If men \*are \*necessary, and you try to ‘show’ women that men are not necessary, they’ll figure out that it’s bullshit, so again, why worry? ---
**Author:** ![aruvqan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aruvqan/32/2891_2.png) [@aruvqan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/aruvqan)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/38 "2007-11-14T00:54:07Z")
[QUOTE=OtakuLoki] I’ll worry, first, about whether the zombie, alien penguin armies will attack Rochester, before I worry about that. [/QUOTE] As long as they hold off next weekend so mrAru and I can do turkey day with the parental units we are good to go. After than Big Yellow Daddy can release the zombie alien penguins they have trapped in Webster, 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Shagnasty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/9dc877/32.png) [@Shagnasty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shagnasty)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/39 "2007-11-14T01:16:12Z")
I am not sure where anyone gets the idea that a significant portion of women want to be around other women a lot more than they want to be around men. Women tend to be brutal, cruel creatures and will tribalize and fight each other at the drop of a hat. Sometimes it is a cold war and sometimes it is a hot war but it doesn’t get publicized as much as men swinging fists in a prison yard. There are lots of ways that I know this but let’s just say I was raised by professional single mother, my wife is successful, I have two daughters, and I work in a professional industry that is skewed towards females. I also have lots of female friends so I get the inside look. It gets ugly out there and I truly believe men generally like each other more than females do. At work, it is common for females including my bosses to ask me to contact others, especially females, when communications have broken down and things have started to turn into a professional flame-fest. I have an advantage in contacting these professional women about whatever business is at hand in large part because I am a male. My mother warned me about the phenomena years ago and I have found it to be true. I am not sure where the idea of females being the kinder and gentler sex comes from. An all female society would not be a nice and friendly place although I would be the last to sign up for an all male society either. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [November 14, 2007, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276/40 "2007-11-14T01:37:17Z")
[QUOTE=butler1850] As long as it gets cold at night, women will always want men to keep them warm. (We preheat the covers, which is why they steal them) 😃 [/QUOTE] That aspect of my functionality was replaced years ago by a heated mattress pad. 🙂 OTOH, I’m good for dealing with the occasional [house centipede](http://www.uos.harvard.edu/images/ehs/pest/centipede_main.jpg). They creep my wife out far more than any spider does. Hell, they creep me out too. Which is why I use the shop-vac to shloop them up, since that doesn’t involve my having to get too close to the creepy buggers. 🙂 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-men-in-general-actually-worred-about-this/426276.md?page=3)