# If Having Sex Was Painful And Labor Intensive **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [April 30, 2006, 7:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-having-sex-was-painful-and-labor-intensive/354823 "2006-04-30T07:28:13Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 6\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![BoringDad](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ad7895/32.png) [@BoringDad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BoringDad)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 4:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-having-sex-was-painful-and-labor-intensive/354823/21 "2006-05-03T04:16:41Z")
> [@WhyNot](#): > > Sure, being an unwanted kid sucks. But not all unplanned babies are unwanted kids. And not all planned babies are wanted kids. Sure, sure, certainly true. But the vast majority of planned babies are wanted babies treated well, and a noticable number of unplanned babies are unwanted. So on the whole, children would generally be better off if planning was forced. ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 4:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-having-sex-was-painful-and-labor-intensive/354823/22 "2006-05-03T16:23:42Z")
It didn’t work for the Gua. They were still idiots. ---
**Author:** ![kimera](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/f0a364/32.png) [@kimera](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimera)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 6:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-having-sex-was-painful-and-labor-intensive/354823/23 "2006-05-03T18:00:19Z")
> [@BoringDad](#): > > As for the whole “Is sex worth it?” argument for passing on genes, I recently saw a study of an organism that could reproduce both sexually and asexually. The asexual reproduction added around 4 times as many genetic errors as sexual reproduction. Sorry for no cite, but it was on a reputable news site in the last couple of weeks. I don’t know about the 4 times as many, but species that reproduce sexually are much more genetically healthier than those that reproduce asexually. ---
**Author:** ![Ludovic](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/7ab992/32.png) [@Ludovic](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludovic)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 6:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-having-sex-was-painful-and-labor-intensive/354823/24 "2006-05-03T18:15:16Z")
In Soviet Russia, sex invents YOU! ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-having-sex-was-painful-and-labor-intensive/354823/25 "2006-05-03T21:56:59Z")
> [@](#): > > If Having Sex Was Painful And Labor Intensive… …I’d be hurting and tired. Alot. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Scrivener](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@The\_Scrivener](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Scrivener)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2006, 10:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-having-sex-was-painful-and-labor-intensive/354823/26 "2006-05-03T22:53:05Z")
It’d be one more argument against “intelligent design”. There’d probably also be a theodicy seeking to reconcile the natural pleasure-seeking (or in this case, pain-avoidance) of individuals with the greater designs of the all-lovin’ deity. It’d invert the old mind-body problem: now, the spirit is willing (to pair-bond and procreate), but the flesh is weak (that is, cowardly and reticent). Clerics would inveigh against selfish, hedonistic, unpromiscuous singletons and other celibates, including sinfully celibate married couples unwilling to mate and procreate. Marriage counseling would acquire a new dimension… [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-having-sex-was-painful-and-labor-intensive/354823.md?page=1)