Posthuman Blues

Glad to be asexual

"There is no official definition for asexuality yet, but it probably needs to take all these variations into account, says Anthony Bogaert, a psychologist and human-sexuality expert studying asexuality at Brock University in St. Catherines, Canada. 'The place where we draw the line is the desire to interact sexually with other people,' says Brian (name changed), a navy veteran from Virginia. When it comes to having children, some asexuals say they would like to have a baby, but most would use IVF to avoid having to have sex."

I doubt that "asexuals" are anything new. But what if there were a disproportionately high number of them now compared to 20 or 30 years ago? A scientist willing to go out on a limb might interpret the upsurge as the human species trying (perhaps feebly) to keep its numbers in check lest we all end up in a certain John Brunner novel.

On another note, "asexuality" isn't exactly unappealing. There are times when it would be an eminent relief to jettison all the deoxyribonucleic baggage that accompanies mammal-hood. I've read that men think about sex six times a minute (or something like that). It's probably close to the truth, and there's nothing wrong with it. But think of all the things a brain could be doing instead of rehashing copulation scenarios. It's like having a computer with too many programs running in the background; the end result is sluggishness . . . and the risk of a system crash. In this context, "asexuals" might be a genuine evolutionary upgrade.

Sometimes I fear that an omnipresent sex-drive saps creativity by siphoning "willpower" (for lack of a better word) from the brain. Then again, maybe sex and creativity are innately linked. After all, sex is ultimately about creation. A person who uses some future therapy to eradicate his sex-drive in hopes of becoming more productive might be shocked to find himself creatively bereft, his imagination effectively neutered. Conversely, imagine a Viagra-like pill for writer's block. Would the patient find his/her creative prowess enhanced or diminished?

Anyway, take a look at what appears to be the Net's first "official" asexual website. I bet those T-shirts win you some odd glances.