Let's say in an alternate reality....

[Joe Washington]

The spread of a contagious sexually transmitted virus led to a five-year quarantined period of sexual suppression among the human race. Once that period came to an end, people were allowed to have sex again but according to a set of strict guidelines to keep the virus or something like the virus from emerging in their sexual activities. There are those who blame on the creation and spread of the virus on sexual deviants, on those who've embraced alternate sexual lifestyles. The governments of the world, driven by fear and a desperate need to maintain order in the wake of the viral disaster, began to crack down on people who display such behavior and offered them two options: either take medication that would lower their sexual impulses to a civil, tolerate level or undergo radical brain surgery that would rid them of their sexual impulses completely. Some of the people being persecuted are forced to flee to the areas of the world beyond the governments' reach where it is rumored that the virus runs rampant.

Where would you stand in a world like this? What would be the consequences of something like this happening in our reality?

 

[Checkmate]

I honestly don't see how that quarantine would have worked. There's no way the entire human race would have stopped having sex for five years. My ability to suspend my disbelief on that important tidbit is just non-existent.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

If the virus is only sexually transmitted - not transmitted by coughing or sneezing - then I would not support government intrusion into people's freedoms simply based on that. It would require an airborne communicable virus before I'd think it was that big of an emergency.

"Deviants" who can't control themselves (who are you talking about - "sex addicts"?) might voluntarily undergo radical medical procedures to save their lives but governments should not force them into it. If they want to continue to take risks, it is their lives to risk. Same goes for their sexual partners - they know the risks, too. Help should be offered but not forced on people.

I assume you're not talking about rapists when you say "deviants." Obviously rape is a crime and if the virus you describe is invariably fatal, it should be punished the same as murder, and all necessary steps taken to protect society from these criminals.

I honestly don't see how that quarantine would have worked.

I don't even know what that "quarantine" means. Does that mean no babies in that five years? The demographic consequences of that would trump anything relating to the virus in terms of social turmoil. Or is it "monogamous sex between uninfected partners only"? That sounds like something intelligent individuals could arrange without needing the government's so-called help.

 

[Joe Washington]

When I said "sexual deviants", I meant "sexual deviants" in the eyes of conservative society. So basically anyone who doesn't fit in the typical "monogamous, hereosextual, missionary position" grouping.

The virus would be airborne when escalated as well as sexually transmitted and the quarantine would have people of opposite sexes being split up and assigned to personal environmental chambers where they would reside until the danger level of the virus is lowered like the kid who lived in the bubble chamber because of his condition. All potential infectees are not allowed to have sex until it is certain that they don't posses any signs of the infection and when they are allowed to, it would have to be according to a set of strict guidelines I mentioned before.

Anyone who breaks the procotol of no sexual contact would be forced to take drugs that would completely suppress their sexual impulses until they are cleared of having no viral contamination.

 

[Sagart]

Well, I'm celebate so I'll teach you all how to cope!!!

 

[Awesome Possum]

I'd buy stock in hand lotion companies.

 

[Shawnster]

The spread of a contagious sexually transmitted virus led to a five-year quarantined period of sexual suppression among the human race. Once that period came to an end, people were allowed to have sex again but according to a set of strict guidelines to keep the virus or something like the virus from emerging in their sexual activities...

I likewise echo the above sentiment. My suspension of disbelief is not capable of overcoming this for the following reasons:

1. To expect every nation on the Earth to react the same way is not logical. Of course, this problem can be overcome by setting your story far enough in the future that a one-world government is a reality.

2. It's simply not enforceable. How would you propose such a 5-year ban on sex be enforced? Monitoring devices? Every one on the planet constantly watched by the sex police?

What about under-developed and Third-World nations? AIDS is rampant in Africa right now in part due to the lack of ability to control it. The governments there do not have the resources, manpower or will to get the situation under control. What about countries like Afghanistan or Iraq? War torn, bombed to stone age regions of this Earth with little to no infrastructure.

3. People wouldn't stand for it. Period. AIDS has been the scariest STD of the modern age and that didn't even slow things down. A virulent easily transmitted STD won't keep people from having sex.

4. Is it an STD or not? STDs are, by their very nature, only transmitted through sexual contact or the exchange of bodily fluids. STDs are not airborne or transmitted through sneezing or casual contact.

5. A five-year decline in the human population? No sex = no birth = population decline. What government would stand for that? What economy would survive such a decline?

crack down on people who display such behavior and offered them two options: either take medication that would lower their sexual impulses to a civil, tolerate level or undergo radical brain surgery that would rid them of their sexual impulses completely...

Your subsequent clarification of what a sexual deviant is only muddies the water further. If homosexuality is considered a deviant behavior, and the medication lowers a homosexual's impulses to a civil, tolerable level, aren't they still homosexual?

Deviant behavior is just too broad a spectrum to be controlled by medication. Fetishes? Those can be considered deviant sexual acts as well.

You have an interesting notion here, it just needs work. The easiest solution would be to target just one class of sexual "deviant." A tougher, yet surmountable task would be possibly to rework the threat (something instead of an STD, perhaps).

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Yeah, the premise is ridiculous. This "alternate reality" ought to begin with "first, assume that the human species was nothing like humans actually are..."

 

[Trent Roman]

Well, I'm celebate

You abstain from correct spelling?

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

 

[Temis the Vorta]

The virus would be airborne when escalated

Well, that's a whole 'nother ballgame! A 100% fatal airborne virus will cause huge social disruption, but once it's airborne, sex is the least of anyone's problems. Those who are still uninfected will sequester themselves into strongholds and anyone who approaches will be shot on sight, on the assumption that they might be carriers.

Therefore the disease will become extinct as everyone who carries it dies and the only survivors will be those who can somehow shield themselves from it for long enough to allow it to die out in already contaminated areas. Afterwards, it will be safe for the survivors to re-populate those areas and the human race will rebuild. Since everyone in the strongholds will be uninfected, they can have all the sex they want while waiting for the rest of the world to be safe again.

Here's hoping it only affects humans because if it can jump to animal vectors, there will be no uncontaminated areas, except maybe Antarctica.

 

[Joe Washington]

Interesting thoughts, Temis. On another subject, have you read my AU Smallville thread? If yes, what are your thoughts on the direction I felt the show should taken before it turned into a pile of crap?

 

[JiNX-01]

I honestly don't see how that quarantine would have worked. There's no way the entire human race would have stopped having sex for five years. My ability to suspend my disbelief on that important tidbit is just non-existent.

A drug might be introduced into the water supply to eliminate our sex drive. The trouble is what happens if we can't get it back?

 

[T.Geiger]

Where would you stand in a world like this?

Contrary to the prevailing opinion in modern society, it is actually possible to not have sex. Its not like air or food. Frankly, if you're incapable of keeping your pants on when your life is on the line, you deserve whatever happens to you.

What would be the consequences of something like this happening in our reality?

About two million years from now, some new species would be decrying the idea that they evolved from deers while simultaneously trying to figure out why all these apes that walked upright died out overnight.

 

[Temis the Vorta]

Interesting thoughts, Temis. On another subject, have you read my AU Smallville thread? If yes, what are your thoughts on the direction I felt the show should taken before it turned into a pile of crap?

I don't watch Smallville - every time I tried to, it bored me. For me, there's nothing about that show that can be improved, but good luck trying.

 

[Joe Washington]

I've already made out the outlines for four and a half seasons of AU Smallville, if you're interested and in my opinion, it's anything but boring. I'll put it up with the current threads of the forum for you to look at, if you're interested.

 

[Sisko_is_my_captain]

When I said "sexual deviants", I meant "sexual deviants" in the eyes of conservative society. So basically anyone who doesn't fit in the typical "monogamous, hereosextual, missionary position" grouping.

Without hitting on the issue in the middle, I rather doubt most conservatives worry about the issue on the right, and some don't particularly care about the issue on the left.

 

[Nardpuncher]

Well, I'm celebate

You abstain from correct spelling?

Fictitiously yours, Trent Roman

Ouch! I feel bad for laughing at this!
Sort of like getting hit by a truck and thrown into the path of a train.

 

[Admiral Buzzkill]

Contrary to the prevailing opinion in modern society, it is actually possible to not have sex. Its not like air or food. Frankly, if you're incapable of keeping your pants on when your life is on the line, you deserve whatever happens to you.

Contrary to what you might think, that is not an answer to the absurdity of the initial premise. The entire species would not and could not "keep it in their pants" for five years.

 

[hyzmarca]

First I kill the President, because if you kill the President you become the President. Then I immediately retire because if you kill the President you become the President.

 

[Nerys Myk]

Why do I get the feeling I'm part of a focus group when I see a thread by Joe Washigton?