# The human race nears extinction--is forcing a woman to give birth acceptable? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 2, 2009, 8:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671 "2009-09-02T20:01:07Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/61 "2009-09-02T23:21:59Z")
Heck, I’ll throw in a wrinkle: women can still supply the genetic material, but every uterus on Earth becomes inhospitable. Research into using men as pregnancy hosts is aggressively pursued and becomes feasible. Let’s forcibly impregnante men! If not, why not? ---
**Author:** ![Mtgman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5a626/32.png) [@Mtgman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mtgman)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/62 "2009-09-02T23:23:00Z")
Ok, so switch it around. Should men be forced to give up sperm/have sex if they don’t want to as the human race nears extinction from low birth rates? Does this change anything? Does forcing a man to stud make them less human in the same way forcing a woman to be a broodmare does? What if neither men nor women want to reproduce? Should they be forced to lie back/mount up and think of England? Enjoy, Steven ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/63 "2009-09-02T23:24:01Z")
> [@Marley23](#): > > The universe doesn’t know we exist. If you are that religious and believe in that Day of Judgment rigamarole, why worry about such things? Because humanity must survive until then. Also I’m not certain as to the Day of Judgement some theologists say that God won’t intervene in the universe and humanity will go on and on without stoppage. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/64 "2009-09-02T23:25:17Z")
> [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](#): > > Or would people here prefer people had died out in the middle ages? I heard being a woman back then was no picnic. I’d prefer that women back then were treated better. I see no evidence that the mistreatment of women in the past was necessary. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/65 "2009-09-02T23:25:58Z")
Let’s not forcibly impregnate, rape, assault, or otherwise touch the personal bits of others without their permission. How’s that? ---
**Author:** ![Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/f04885/32.png) [@Qin\_Shi\_Huangdi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qin_Shi_Huangdi)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/66 "2009-09-02T23:26:28Z")
> [@Mtgman](#): > > Ok, so switch it around. Should men be forced to give up sperm/have sex if they don’t want to as the human race nears extinction from low birth rates? Does this change anything? Does forcing a man to stud make them less human in the same way forcing a woman to be a broodmare does? What if neither men nor women want to reproduce? Should they be forced to lie back/mount up and think of England? > > Enjoy, > Steven Men should also be forced to reproduce in this case. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2009, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/67 "2009-09-02T23:26:59Z")
\< deleted \> ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/68 "2009-09-02T23:27:31Z")
So, we have a society where no one wants to reproduce. So who’s doing the forcing? ---
**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:** [September 2, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/69 "2009-09-02T23:28:34Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Because humanity must survive until then. Also I’m not certain as to the Day of Judgement some theologists say that God won’t intervene in the universe and humanity will go on and on without stoppage. How then can something that is defined as impossible (in your view) be evil? ---
**Author:** ![Polerius](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/d78d45/32.png) [@Polerius](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polerius)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/70 "2009-09-02T23:28:45Z")
US society (at least parts of it, certainly well-represented on this board) has so demonized lack of choice in abortion that it is considered the worst thing anyone could ever do in the universe, ever! Under this situation, of course so many people would rather have the whole human race disappear, or have some other global calamity happen, rather than force a single woman to keep a baby she does not want. I think y’all are being too absolutist. ---
**Author:** ![begbert2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/begbert2/32/3357_2.png) [@begbert2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/begbert2)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/71 "2009-09-02T23:28:57Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Humanity is a beacon of light in this universe it must survive for all eternity until the Day of the Judgement or if not forever. If humanity is making a policy of forcibly impregnating women, then humanity is no longer a beacon of light. It would instead be a beacon of rape. ---
**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:** [September 2, 2009, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/72 "2009-09-02T23:30:04Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > So, we have a society where no one wants to reproduce. So who’s doing the forcing? Apparently we have a society where the men want to reproduce but the women don’t. Basically a hypothetical that assumes women all suddenly start acting quite differently than they ever have. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/73 "2009-09-02T23:31:39Z")
> [@Curtis LeMay](#): > > Because humanity must survive until then. But if there’s going to be one, isn’t it a guarantee that humanity is going to last that long? It’s the day of humanity’s judgment and it’s ordained in some way, so how would humanity fail to exist until the appointed time? This problem usually crops up with this kind of worldview - ‘God is all-powerful and good will triumph, but we’re still in danger’ - but I haven’t heard this particular version before. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/74 "2009-09-02T23:31:55Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > I think y’all are being too absolutist. How about if we just start shooting people and eating them? How about if we enslave most of the planet? How about if we draw lots and torture the winners to death? We can justify any atrocity in the world if we try hard enough. Or we can say no. There really are worse things than death. ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/75 "2009-09-02T23:32:57Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Apparently we have a society where the men want to reproduce but the women don’t. Basically a hypothetical that assumes women all suddenly start acting quite differently than they ever have. Well, the additional scenarios had the men not wanting to, either. Apparently, it’s after the Organians take over. ---
**Author:** ![Marley23](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Marley23](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Marley23)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/76 "2009-09-02T23:33:22Z")
> [@Der\_Trihs](#): > > Apparently we have a society where the men want to reproduce but the women don’t. Basically a hypothetical that assumes women all suddenly start acting quite differently than they ever have. I can see it now. The motto of the United States has changed from “In God We Trust” to “Not Tonight, Honey, I Have a Headache.” ---
**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:** [September 2, 2009, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/77 "2009-09-02T23:36:28Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > US society (at least parts of it, certainly well-represented on this board) has so demonized lack of choice in abortion that it is considered the worst thing anyone could ever do in the universe, ever! > > Under this situation, of course so many people would rather have the whole human race disappear, or have some other global calamity happen, rather than force a single woman to keep a baby she does not want. > > I think y’all are being too absolutist. We are talking about a society that behaves like war criminals. Raping women over and over until they get pregnant, then forcing them to bear the results of that rape. And you can guarantee that there will be a great deal of other abuse mixed in. ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/78 "2009-09-02T23:37:49Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Under this situation, of course so many people would rather have the whole human race disappear, or have some other global calamity happen, rather than force a single woman to keep a baby she does not want. > > I think y’all are being too absolutist. But I think once we go down that road, it’s too scary. What if it’s about one child now, but we decide that to make sure that this doesn’t happen again, in this world where procreation is so rare, that we have to make sure that everything possible is done to make sure women get and stay pregnant? I just think by doing that, you’re taking the autonomy away from people. And by the nature of reproduction, you’re going to be taking the autonomy away from women. ---
**Author:** ![msmith537](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d9b06d/32.png) [@msmith537](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/msmith537)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/79 "2009-09-02T23:42:48Z")
There is a flip sideto this ridiculous scenario. If some catastrophe has reduced the population to the point where extinction is a real possibility, there probably are no longer the resources or infrastructure to support increasing the population so quickly and taking care of all those new births. I think small populations of humans throughout history have managed to survive and grow without forcing pregnencies on them. The instinct to preserve the species is pretty strong. > [@begbert2](#): > > If humanity is making a policy of forcibly impregnating women, then humanity is no longer a beacon of light. It would instead be a beacon of rape. Activating rape beacon in 5…4…3…2… ---
**Author:** ![Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/9e8a1a/32.png) [@Uosdwis\_R.Dewoh](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Uosdwis_R.Dewoh)\ **Post date:** [September 2, 2009, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671/80 "2009-09-02T23:45:56Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > Why? > [@Mangetout](#): > > Nobody will miss us if we quietly disappear from existence - the natural end of humanity is no more evil than the natural death of one human. Because we as a species think it is and that’s all the reason we need. The universe is a cold uncaring place and our opinions don’t matter in the cosmic sense, but it’s all we have. > [@begbert2](#): > > Some might argue that losing our hard-gained humanity is a “fate worse than death”. I don’t see how that’s an easily-refuted position. That which is lost can be regained. > [@Freudian Slit](#): > > But I think once we go down that road, it’s too scary. \ you’re going to be taking the autonomy away from women. Societies change all the time. Don’t forget we’ve been down similar roads before. Doesn’t mean it wont get better at some point. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-human-race-nears-extinction-is-forcing-a-woman-to-give-birth-acceptable/508671.md?page=5)