# What thread on the Dope most surprised you with its responses? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [January 3, 2010, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533 "2010-01-03T20:10:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 5
**Author:** ![Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/54ee81/32.png) [@Kneepants\_Erasmus\_the\_Humanist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kneepants_Erasmus_the_Humanist)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/81 "2010-01-06T17:09:47Z")
> [@Balthisar](#): > > So you’re saying that human procreation is the worst crime possible? Hm. No, that’s not what she said at all. She said: > [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > Adding an unwanted, unneeded person to an already overpopulated world. […] It would be forcing me to commit what I believe to be the worst crime possible. And, I absolutely agree with Zoe. I cannot read threads about Guantánamo, etc. --they inevitably ruin my day and generally lower my opinion of the human race (not that it was high to begin with). ---
**Author:** ![The\_Tooth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c67d28/32.png) [@The\_Tooth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Tooth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/82 "2010-01-06T17:11:24Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > If I am correct about the timing of that post, I have added two old friends to my list since the question came up. > > In all of the threads about Guantanamo, I have been stunned at the number of people who aren’t bothered by our policy of imprisoning people for indefinite periods of time without charging them with a crime or trying them. And I have been bewildered by the number of Americans who think that torture is part of “truth, justice, and the American way.” That’s fear. They’re scared because 911 wah! or angry because of 911 wah!, and they are told by the torturers they support that torture is effective at keeping them safe. Rights don’t matter. Rules don’t matter. Laws don’t matter. Consequences don’t matter. What matters is that it’s okay to torture people because 911 wah! So now it’s part of the American Way. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/83 "2010-01-06T17:48:40Z")
> [@PookahMacPhellimey](#): > > It was years ago, so I can’t find the thread (and there have probably been a few similar ones since, I suspect) but it was on the Dope that I, to my great astonishment, found out that many women shave or wax all or most of their pubic hair. I (mid twenties at the time) really had no idea that this was ever done outside of a porn flick. I was pretty astonished at that, too - apparently everyone in North America is now shaving their pubes. ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/84 "2010-01-06T17:59:17Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > I was pretty astonished at that, too - apparently everyone in North America is now shaving their pubes. Cite? 😉 ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/85 "2010-01-06T18:04:39Z")
I don’t remember what thread it was, but one of the responses was from a man who had refused to touch his wife in any way while she was pregnant because he found pregnancy repulsive. I was floored that anyone could ever have that opinion and that his wife didn’t divorce him around month 5 of her pregnancy. ---
**Author:** ![Guinastasia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/guinastasia/32/5751_2.png) [@Guinastasia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Guinastasia)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/86 "2010-01-06T18:24:51Z")
> [@Polerius](#): > > Assuming you can give the baby up for adoption, is avoiding 9 months of pregnancy worth a lifetime without sex? Doesn’t the pleasure of a lifetime of sex outweigh whatever negatives 9 months of pregnancy will cause? Pregnancy can be detrimental to a woman’s health, you realize. For some, pregnancy even has the potential to be fatal. For those women, they won’t have a lifetime then to HAVE sex at all, if this happens. ---
**Author:** ![Trepa\_Mayfield](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@Trepa\_Mayfield](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trepa_Mayfield)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/87 "2010-01-06T18:29:25Z")
> [@ZPG\_Zealot](#): > > Forcing someone like me who sincerely believes in the need to control escalating human population and the Zero Population Growth Philosophy is the same as forcing a pacifist to be part of an execution team. It would be forcing me to commit what I believe to be the worst crime possible. Ohh, that’s what ZPG stands for! :smack: ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/88 "2010-01-06T18:41:20Z")
There have been at least two threads that I can remember where many people revealed that they don’t know how to handwrite. Some said they learned it at one time but simply never use it due to computers or that they prefer to print but some said they literally don’t know how to do it. First I was saddened at the state of the education system. Then I was depressed by the fact that I must be older than dirt:( ---
**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:** [January 6, 2010, 6:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/89 "2010-01-06T18:48:40Z")
> [@Freudian\_Slit](#): > > Yeah, I think you put it best. If abortion were illegal everywhere and it was either be abstinent or give birth/have a back alley abortion, then I’d be abstinent. The abortion gives you that safety net, though. Everything isn’t over if I get pregnant. No, I don’t want to get an abortion–who does? It’s like getting excited over a root canal. But if I absolutely have to, I can. So you would force your husband to be abstinent also? ---
**Author:** ![DianaG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/7ab992/32.png) [@DianaG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DianaG)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/90 "2010-01-06T18:49:48Z")
Only if she forced him to be her husband. :dubious: ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/91 "2010-01-06T18:55:10Z")
There was this one thread where several women reiterated how they would feel (and act) if abortion were made illegal, and some men just argued with them instead of trusting in their experience. I think it was a pretty recent thread. ---
**Author:** ![BrotherCadfael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/977dab/32.png) [@BrotherCadfael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BrotherCadfael)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/92 "2010-01-06T19:02:24Z")
I think the thread that surprised me was the one (or possibly several) about chronic tardiness. What amazed the bejezus out of me was the number of people who not only thought that being chronically late for appointments (personal and otherwise) is OK, but that took great offense at anyone who dared suggest that it isn’t. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/93 "2010-01-06T19:05:34Z")
> [@BrotherCadfael](#): > > I think the thread that surprised me was the one (or possibly several) about chronic tardiness. > > What amazed the bejezus out of me was the number of people who not only thought that being chronically late for appointments (personal and otherwise) is OK, but that took great offense at anyone who dared suggest that it isn’t. That one didn’t actually surprise me very much - people are very good at justification. ---
**Author:** ![Incubus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c68b51/32.png) [@Incubus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Incubus)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/94 "2010-01-06T19:08:55Z")
On the abortion issue, if abortion became illegal, wouldn’t it belogical that more people would get sterilized? Even as a man, I would. If I wanted to have children, there would be plenty up for adoption at that point since women who got pregnant would have to carry the child to term. Thus, I wouldn’t be part of the problem (impregnating women who don’t want kids) and would be contributing to the short-term solution (adopting an existing baby someone gave up rather than add another human being on the planet). And I’d get to have all the sex I want. Win-win-win 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/95 "2010-01-06T19:18:56Z")
Have you _tried_ getting sterilized as a man under the age of 40 with fewer than 5 kids? It’s virtually fucking impossible. Doctors just won’t do it. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2010, 7:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/96 "2010-01-06T19:21:22Z")
> [@aruvqan](#): > > So you would force your husband to be abstinent also? I probably wouldn’t marry in such a situation. If I were already married and abortion were banned everywhere…I don’t know what I’d do, honestly. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/97 "2010-01-06T19:23:14Z")
I bet cucumber sales would go way up. ---
**Author:** ![otternell](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/ecc23a/32.png) [@otternell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/otternell)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/98 "2010-01-06T19:23:41Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Have you _tried_ getting sterilized as a man under the age of 40 with fewer than 5 kids? It’s virtually fucking impossible. Doctors just won’t do it. See - this is what I just don’t get. I know Docs do the same thing to women too, but still, let me make up my own mind please. (Sorry for the hijack) ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/99 "2010-01-06T19:31:19Z")
It’s not really their fault - it’s a liability issue. People are always having second thoughts and suing. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2010, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533/100 "2010-01-06T20:20:29Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > Have you _tried_ getting sterilized as a man under the age of 40 with fewer than 5 kids? It’s virtually fucking impossible. Doctors just won’t do it. Add to that the fact that, as I understand it, sterilization is not without risks for women. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533.md?page=4) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-thread-on-the-dope-most-surprised-you-with-its-responses/523533.md?page=6)