# Human design flaws **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 29, 2004, 12:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986 "2004-03-29T00:55:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![bittersweet](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/c57346/32.png) [@bittersweet](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bittersweet)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/41 "2004-03-29T13:07:14Z")
> [@Jojo](#): > > I could use a few inches chopped off my old fella. It’s just _too damn much_. Well…how _ **you** _ doin’? 😉 In keeping with the thread topic though, I think it would be kinda neat if women could inflate or deflate their breasts slightly (like, a cup size) depending on the instance. If running or sleeping on the stomach, deflate. For an evening out, inflate…because we all know that cleavage = power. ---
**Author:** ![robertliguori](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/46a35a/32.png) [@robertliguori](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/robertliguori)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 2:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/42 "2004-03-29T14:01:06Z")
> [@Smeghead](#): > > Well, my nipples don’t work, there’s no zoom function, and just LOOK at these Polaroids! Wait. Smeghead only needs one Polaroid? ---
**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:** [March 29, 2004, 2:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/43 "2004-03-29T14:21:19Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > On the other hand, I would point out that the intake orifices (orifi?) are virus and bacteria magnets. If you have a separate orifice for breathing, you’ve got two Germ Superhighways in place of one. I would suggest that reducing the chance of infectious disease may outweigh the chances of choking. Except that we _do_ already have two separate orifices - the nose and the mouth - they just happen to share a section of plumbing on the inside. ---
**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:** [March 29, 2004, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/44 "2004-03-29T14:36:00Z")
Now I think about it, possibly the most serious design flaw is the choice of materials - something a little more durable would have been nice ---
**Author:** ![Pablito](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ed655f/32.png) [@Pablito](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pablito)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 3:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/45 "2004-03-29T15:32:30Z")
In response to comments from my ex wife and several girlfriends, I think it would be nice if men’s testosterone levels would tend to peak in the evening, rather than in the morning. Pablito ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/46 "2004-03-29T16:41:05Z")
We really _need_ to be able to chelate & excrete metallic poisons. A broader spectral range for eyesight would be nice. And something must be done about our susceptability to respiratory infections & diseases. And a greater range of hair & eye colors. ---
**Author:** ![Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ac8455/32.png) [@Bippy\_the\_Beardless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bippy_the_Beardless)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/47 "2004-03-29T17:24:11Z")
This standing upright fad has caused all sorts of problems. Tha backbone just isn’t up to holding that much weight over several decades, after a while the bones start to fuse together and cause lower back pains. The hips are similarly unfit for the task, and often need replacing after 50 odd years. Knees also. Then there is the problem standing upright causes for bloodflow, with that huge brain up top, the heart has its work cut out for it. Leading to difficulty controling blood pressure and such things as bloating of the feet, hemeroids, and sometimes thrombosis. ---
**Author:** ![FordPrefect](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/e99b99/32.png) [@FordPrefect](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FordPrefect)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/48 "2004-03-29T18:27:18Z")
> [@owlofcreamcheese](#): > > someone will talk about the eye… at some point. parts of it make good sense, the whole backwards thing is because our eyes get direct sunlight unlike the squid that have a “better desgin”. its not smart, but I can stare at the sun for a while and still retain vision in general, if it was a once and your blind thing we would mostly all go blind in childhood or driveing. parts of the bad design is to make sure the eye lasts on the long term. How about a retina that won’t burn out? In terms of performance the insertion point for our muscles into our bones could be further from the joint which would give us more leverage. Given my head cold, I would like a sinus system that doesn’t continuously drain in to the back of my mouth. ---
**Author:** ![Rocketeer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocketeer/32/4437_2.png) [@Rocketeer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rocketeer)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 7:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/49 "2004-03-29T19:09:29Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Now I think about it, possibly the most serious design flaw is the choice of materials - something a little more durable would have been nice I dunno about that; a human is pretty much self-repairing and will go 60 years or so with minimal maintenance; I can’t think of many man-made things that’ll go that long. (except for static things like aqueducts and dams). ---
**Author:** ![lieu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/c2a13f/32.png) [@lieu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lieu)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/50 "2004-03-29T20:06:50Z")
Is it too much to ask for a cupholder? ---
**Author:** ![jellytoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/eb9ed0/32.png) [@jellytoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jellytoes)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/51 "2004-03-29T20:21:48Z")
> [@Aeschines](#): > > The heart simply shouldn’t be so easily cloggable. There should a device to remove cancer cells immediately from the body. I agree with many of the other points! We do have safegaurds for removing cancers cells from the body. Humans develop cancer several times **a day** but the malignant cells are destroyed and life goes on. All it takes is one time that the cancerous cell is overlooked and you have a tumor. Malignant cancer cells grow at an amazing rate. ---
**Author:** ![Engineer\_Dude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/9fc29f/32.png) [@Engineer\_Dude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Engineer_Dude)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 8:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/52 "2004-03-29T20:57:16Z")
> [@antechinus](#): > > The playground and sewage outfall are too close together. I dont know how this got council approval. > > ps I realise some like to play in the sewer, and no doubt some people like just the two sets of teeth or a crook back. [nerd\_mode] Q: Why was God a Civil Engineer? A: Only a Civil Engineer would run a waste-water line through a recreational area. [/nerd\_mode] ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/53 "2004-03-29T21:14:18Z")
> [@Squink](#): > > No math coprocessor. You mean we don’t have one, or we shouldn’t have one? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/54 "2004-03-29T21:17:17Z")
> [@lieu](#): > > Is it too much to ask for a cupholder? See that thing you’re using to operate your mouse? There ya go. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/55 "2004-03-29T21:38:39Z")
> [@MEBuckner](#): > > It seems rather poor engineering design to have the air intake system commingled with the food and water intake system. Granted, there are valves and such to keep things going where they’re supposed to go; even so, about 4,000 people choke to death in the United States every year. My doctor commented that there was a consensus among doctors that the oesophagus is one of the worst “designed” parts of the body. ---
**Author:** ![Kitchen\_Wench](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f08c70/32.png) [@Kitchen\_Wench](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kitchen_Wench)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/56 "2004-03-29T21:39:39Z")
A good friend of mine has been going on for years about humans needing a “Pre-anus”-- An outlet situated before the intestines, used for excreting waste accumulated in “sport eating.” Heh. He’s gone further in this idea by explaining that in every bathroom, a separate fixture (installed in the wall like a urinal) would be needed specifically for the Pre-anus. Myself, I’d like to turn off the female reproductive system until I need it. Oh, and I’d like some pockets. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Burnt\_Sugar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ee59a6/32.png) [@Burnt\_Sugar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Burnt_Sugar)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/57 "2004-03-29T21:40:10Z")
> [@Burnt Sugar](#): > > My doctor commented that there was a consensus among doctors that the oesophagus is one of the worst “designed” parts of the body. Go the tenses. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![davidm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/davidm/32/225_2.png) [@davidm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/davidm)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/58 "2004-03-29T22:08:37Z")
Wisdom teeth. We need either a bigger mouth, or less teeth. IMHO this is one of the most glaringly obvious arguments against some kind of intelligent design. They make no sense. If we can get by and successfully eat for all of those years without them, what is the point in them suddenly erupting in early adulthood? Especially when you consider that when they do erupt (and sometimes even when they don’t) they cause problems for a substantial portion of the population. ---
**Author:** ![Ponder\_Stibbons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ponder_stibbons/32/343_2.png) [@Ponder\_Stibbons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ponder_Stibbons)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2004, 10:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/59 "2004-03-29T22:16:42Z")
> [@Rooves](#): > > I read (I think it was richard dawkins) that the human eye has many design flaws. here’s a link to something that came up on google [human eye](http://www.2think.org/eye.shtml) This isn’t your fault, of course, but did you know if you click on that link and then accidentally click on the banner ad at the top, it tries to download an executable? Ouch! ---
**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:** [March 29, 2004, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986/60 "2004-03-29T23:09:13Z")
> [@Rocketeer](#): > > I dunno about that; a human is pretty much self-repairing and will go 60 years or so with minimal maintenance; I can’t think of many man-made things that’ll go that long. (except for static things like aqueducts and dams). Self-repairing, oh sure, but replacing it all bit by bit continuously isn’t the same as durability; also, humans are just too squishy(albeit with a crunchy, bony centre) for any serious mistreatement. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/human-design-flaws/236986.md?page=4)