Question: Will Technology Make Sex with Humans Obsolete?
Answer:
The idea that technology will eventually wipe out the human race is an old and pervasive one. This vision, that once we get too cozy with computers and robots we’re goners, has also been reflected in attitudes about sex tech for many years. People whose partners are interested in using sex toys often express concerns over vibrator addiction or being replaced by a sex toy.
In a more futuristic scenario involving human-like robots we can have sex with, some express a fear that we'll stop having sex with each other in favor of sex with robots. The question raised is will technology make human sex obsolete?
There are a few problems with the way this question is framed. First, it conflates what we need and what we want. Just because we no longer need intercourse for procreation doesn’t mean we stop wanting to have intercourse. After all, most intercourse that happens isn’t for procreation. Another problem with the way this question is asked is that it assumes sex equals intercourse, which of course it doesn’t.
Technology already has given us more options for both procreation and sexual pleasure. But giving us options doesn’t eliminate or even reduce our desire to have sex in both new and old ways with each other.
I think this question also confuses a) what we want with b) what we’re satisfied with and c) what we’ll settle for. Let’s say you want to have sex with another person, but you feel like you lack the resources and social skills to find a sexual partner.
You may decide to “settle for” different kinds of human computer sexual interactions (either with another human via technology or just with technology). If you find those sexual interactions satisfying, why should your satisfaction be judged as “less than” because it was mediated through technology.
There’s also no reason to believe that enjoying sex tech will lead to a loss in desire for “in person” sex with a partner. Spending time engaging in sex tech could make you less likely to go out and try to have partner sex in person. It also might give you the confidence and motivation to go out to find someone.
So where does this idea that technology will make partner sex obsolete come from? Is it only tied to the larger myth that technology will lead to our downfall? Is it possible that it is fueled in part by the reality that many people are sexually unsatisfied with their real live sexual interactions? That given sexual dissatisfaction with real life partners it’s easier to imagine an alternative that would turn us away from them for good? Our cultural imperative for monogamy and marriage may say that all our sexual desires must be satisfied by one person or by one kind of sex, but infidelity rates paint a different picture.
Answer:
The idea that technology will eventually wipe out the human race is an old and pervasive one. This vision, that once we get too cozy with computers and robots we’re goners, has also been reflected in attitudes about sex tech for many years. People whose partners are interested in using sex toys often express concerns over vibrator addiction or being replaced by a sex toy.
In a more futuristic scenario involving human-like robots we can have sex with, some express a fear that we'll stop having sex with each other in favor of sex with robots. The question raised is will technology make human sex obsolete?
There are a few problems with the way this question is framed. First, it conflates what we need and what we want. Just because we no longer need intercourse for procreation doesn’t mean we stop wanting to have intercourse. After all, most intercourse that happens isn’t for procreation. Another problem with the way this question is asked is that it assumes sex equals intercourse, which of course it doesn’t.
Technology already has given us more options for both procreation and sexual pleasure. But giving us options doesn’t eliminate or even reduce our desire to have sex in both new and old ways with each other.
I think this question also confuses a) what we want with b) what we’re satisfied with and c) what we’ll settle for. Let’s say you want to have sex with another person, but you feel like you lack the resources and social skills to find a sexual partner.
You may decide to “settle for” different kinds of human computer sexual interactions (either with another human via technology or just with technology). If you find those sexual interactions satisfying, why should your satisfaction be judged as “less than” because it was mediated through technology.
There’s also no reason to believe that enjoying sex tech will lead to a loss in desire for “in person” sex with a partner. Spending time engaging in sex tech could make you less likely to go out and try to have partner sex in person. It also might give you the confidence and motivation to go out to find someone.
So where does this idea that technology will make partner sex obsolete come from? Is it only tied to the larger myth that technology will lead to our downfall? Is it possible that it is fueled in part by the reality that many people are sexually unsatisfied with their real live sexual interactions? That given sexual dissatisfaction with real life partners it’s easier to imagine an alternative that would turn us away from them for good? Our cultural imperative for monogamy and marriage may say that all our sexual desires must be satisfied by one person or by one kind of sex, but infidelity rates paint a different picture.
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