Is it possible that sperm counts are lower simply because there is less selective pressure for producing lots of sperm?
Less sperm competition and increased fertility due to medicine would both do that.
Sperm Count Zero
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Re: Sperm Count Zero
#62Earlier quoted context omitted.
Perhaps feminine isn't the right word, perhaps what I mean is a devaluation of masculine traits. In my opinion we live in a time of extreme obedience to law, taboo and shaming of physical violence (with instead an emphasis on social shaming via television/media), and a general fear of social confrontation and disagreement. Our focus instead is on acceptance of absolutely everyone and everything.
You'd like to see more physical violence in the world? Or that it be less taboo, less shameful? Exactly which physical violence are you talking about?
Words from my mouth.
Re: Sperm Count Zero
#63I had heard that sperm counts are dropping. What was news to me was that the decline is continuing, even accelerating, and also the concomitant drop in testosterone levels, starting even in utero. The bit about AGD was also pretty crazy — followed by the bit about men becoming less male . Some fear-mongering there no doubt, but a topic which in this era is more likely to be met with scoffs of “good riddance” rather t…
likely to be met with scoffs of “good riddance” My first thought was that this may also cast light on the rise of the trans rights movement. If men are becoming less male, surely this relates to so many people saying "I'm really a woman trapped in a man's body." or vice versa. This may also help explain why trans people are so often met with open hostility as "freaks" etc. No, I am not defending their mistreatment. B…
I have a similar explanation to this dropping hormone levels phenomenon.
It is simply just that it does not require to be a 'manly man' in these days to have the same amount of "success", as it required in the old times. For example, take the whole mating game. Earlier, you had to look good/manly, need some quick thinking, timing and wit to pick up women. But now those things are not so much required.
I think multiple factors have contributed to this. But I think the all encompassing one is capitalism. And things like these are the an emergent result, of trying to maximize profits, and thus it is molding the very source that it generate the profit from, namely the human population. Simply put, much less profits can be made from a manly (manliness being comprised of things like but not limited to, looks, having some individuality, own principles and views and a taste for independence) and intelligent population than it can be made from a feeble/stupid, but heavy earning population. I am not saying that there is some conspiracy that is trying to accomplish this. But it might be a case of a death by a thousand paper cuts. I mean, like every time you try to sell something to the public, by social conditioning, you might be inadvertently contributing to things like this...
Re: Sperm Count Zero
#64Worth pointing out this trend is only unambiguously evident in the Western world, identified as U.S., Europe, Australia, and New Zealand.
Other parts of the world do not show a statistically significant trend, although the article suggests these data are not good enough to draw strong conclusions.
Re: Sperm Count Zero
#65Earlier quoted context omitted.
> I am routinely met with open hostility from self proclaimed trans activists, feminists, etc. Hostility towards what? I assume they attack a view you hold, rather than your being a stay-at-home mother.
Oh, lots of different things. As best I can tell, the hostility is towards me personally, not a specific view per se. I've been accused on HN of being transphobic for attempting to speak about women's issues. I don't really care to dig up a whole lot of examples to convince skeptics. I was homeless for nearly 6 years and only asking for help with trying to figure out how to make money online. I got damn little suppor…
So you think an online community that knows you only by handle is personal hostile towards you for some reason other than your expressed views?
Re: Sperm Count Zero
#66Earlier quoted context omitted.
Oh, lots of different things. As best I can tell, the hostility is towards me personally, not a specific view per se. I've been accused on HN of being transphobic for attempting to speak about women's issues. I don't really care to dig up a whole lot of examples to convince skeptics. I was homeless for nearly 6 years and only asking for help with trying to figure out how to make money online. I got damn little suppor…
So you think an online community that knows you only by handle is personal hostile towards you for some reason other than your expressed views?
That's a little bit uncharitable, right?
"Expressed Views" are interpreted by the people that read them. Plenty of people online mistakenly infer things in other people's posts and attack that instead. Or they imagine that the poster probably holds another position (which they may or may not) and attack that.
Re: Sperm Count Zero
#67Earlier quoted context omitted.
Perhaps feminine isn't the right word, perhaps what I mean is a devaluation of masculine traits. In my opinion we live in a time of extreme obedience to law, taboo and shaming of physical violence (with instead an emphasis on social shaming via television/media), and a general fear of social confrontation and disagreement. Our focus instead is on acceptance of absolutely everyone and everything.
You'd like to see more physical violence in the world? Or that it be less taboo, less shameful? Exactly which physical violence are you talking about?
By some measures the world is more peaceful than it has ever been [1]. I guess I just think that so many of the issues we constantly discuss on these forums could easily be solved with a bit more political violence. Instead we let people like Ajit Pai get away with blatant corruption because of our complete unwillingness to take any real action to stop him.
Think about it. Alexander Hamilton died in a gun duel with someone. Can you even imagine something like that ever taking place in the modern day between politicians? Violence just simply is not allowed to be a solution for problems in the modern day even though it is often extremely effective. I'm not trying to argue for bombings or any sort of mass killings obviously, but that we just seem to be afraid of considering it as a solution to problems, even when that is the primary power our government has over us.
[1] https://www.pri.org/stories/2014-09-29/world-actually-becomi...
Re: Sperm Count Zero
#68Re: Sperm Count Zero
#69Earlier quoted context omitted.
Oh, lots of different things. As best I can tell, the hostility is towards me personally, not a specific view per se. I've been accused on HN of being transphobic for attempting to speak about women's issues. I don't really care to dig up a whole lot of examples to convince skeptics. I was homeless for nearly 6 years and only asking for help with trying to figure out how to make money online. I got damn little suppor…
So you think an online community that knows you only by handle is personal hostile towards you for some reason other than your expressed views?
I post as openly female. Women generally have a much harder time online than men.
I was homeless for a long time and open about that. Plenty of people were openly contemptuous.
Sexism and classism are alive and well. They impact social behavior online as well as off.
Re: Sperm Count Zero
#70Earlier quoted context omitted.
You'd like to see more physical violence in the world? Or that it be less taboo, less shameful? Exactly which physical violence are you talking about?
By some measures the world is more peaceful than it has ever been [1]. I guess I just think that so many of the issues we constantly discuss on these forums could easily be solved with a bit more political violence. Instead we let people like Ajit Pai get away with blatant corruption because of our complete unwillingness to take any real action to stop him. Think about it. Alexander Hamilton died in a gun duel with s…
Violence just simply is not allowed to be a solution for problems in the modern day
I'm very confused. Are we in the same world?
so many of the issues we constantly discuss on these forums could easily be solved with a bit more political violence.
Wow. Such as? Can you be specific? What you are saying sounds fairly dark and ominous. You think duels were "extremely effective" solutions to problems? It certainly is not obvious to me that you're "not trying to argue for bombings or any sort of mass killings". Why would that be 'obvious' to any reader of what you've said? What sort of 'political violence' do you mean? I guess a lot more violence would be even better at times, to solve those pesky problems where the normal amount isn't so effective?
we just seem to be afraid of considering it as a solution to problems, even when that is the primary power our government has over us.
I don't see the logical connection between the two halves of that. At all. Is it that thing where people in the US seemingly can't abide the police having guns and people not having them?