NationStates Jolt Archive

Is sexual desire entering a recession?
Valentine's Day, by tradition, is an opportunity for declarations of love and lust. But will 2009 be different?

Given the economic downturn, is passion too in recession? Or will couples fling themselves into each other's arms to compensate for their inability to spend, spend, spend?

Professor Helen Fisher, of Rutgers University, holds this latter theory.

The sheer stress of money worries in general, and fear of redundancy in particular will, she argues, elevate levels of the chemical dopamine in the brain - and dopamine is associated with romantic love.
"Times of stress can trigger feelings of attraction - quite simply, you're more susceptible," she said.
Professor Fisher's theories are based on a classic 1974 study by Dutton and Aron - in which male subjects walking across a dangerous-seeming bridge were found to be more likely to fall for an attractive woman researcher.
They are currently being reinforced by a flurry of less academic reports.

Website traffic
Dating websites eHarmony and Match.com both report major boosts in traffic of up to 20% over the past few months.
A YouGov survey of 20,144 British adults in November 2008 found sex was the most popular low-cost activity.
Sex toy shops as far apart as Amsterdam, New York and China are anecdotally reporting a boom in sales.
And, according to Ken Herron, chief of marketing at gay dating site Manhunt, the site had its biggest membership sign-up on 29 September, the day the Dow Jones Index crashed.
The logic here rings true, absolutely reflecting what I as an advice columnist am seeing in my postbag.
Surely when people feel alone, they reach out for connection, seek out pleasure in the form of skin-on-skin contact?
Surely when people need relief from their financial worries they reach for the natural medication created by body contact, which releases the feel-good chemical oxytocin?

Negative impact
However, at a certain point, this logic breaks down - and the very opposite appears true.
Relate, the couples counselling organisation, is seeing in established couples a different picture from the sexfest Helen Fisher describes.

.....

Are these theories contradictory? Does the recession create lust - or sap it? Does a lack of money lead to a raising of desire - or a lowering of sexual action?
One possible theory to square the circle is - to misquote the famous line from Macbeth - is that recession "provokes the desire but takes away the performance".
Maybe economic woes bring us together but then make us unable to enjoy the fruits of that bonding.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7874408.stm

So where do y'all fit in - too broke to do anything other than rut, or too tired and anxious to even consider it?

We cuddle a lot more than we used to. There's a lot of comfort in knowing that as much as our financial situation sucks, cuddling is still free.

Oh the potential puns....where to start?

My attitude remains the same as previously. Do not want relationship/sex. One of the joys of asexuality is that your desires are secure from being impacted by any cyclical or structural economic phenomena :p. The financial impacts and lack of employment opportunities, not so much. Never mind, I hear welfare dependence and/or poverty is really in this season.

sex is free entertainment

Nothing has changed.

Nothing has changed.

well instead of being poor we will be poor with lots of babies

*sings*

Come people pay attention, listen to my song
There's only ninety verses, I'll not detain you long
How Uncle Sam he blew a fuse which caused the lights to fail
And plunged the nation into gloom, come listen to my tale

From Alaska down to Panama, Hawaii to New York
Ten people out of nine agree it's better in the dark

John Citizen came home from work like any other night
Found his house in semi-darkness, his wife all in a fright
"John, John, the power's gone, the TV's up the spout!"
But John just pulled his trousers down and blew the candle out

From Alaska down to Panama, Hawaii to New York
Ten people out of nine agree it's better in the dark

When things go wrong, this proves to all the world - if proof were wanted
Mankind reverts to type, carries on undaunted
As they lay there struggling and breathless on the floor
She murmured, John, how come we never thought of this before

From Alaska down to Panama, Hawaii to New York
Ten people out of nine agree it's better in the dark

But nine long months have passed and gone and there's a bill to pay
Doctor Kildare and all his men are working night and day
Love, they say, is a costly game and must be properly planned
But a packet of three is hard to see when darkness rules the land

From Alaska down to Panama, Hawaii to New York
Ten people out of nine agree it's better in the dark

John Citizen has changed his ways, he's joining in the fight
For longer darker power cuts, he wants them every night
He won't go off to war, he has a better plan instead
For out of darkness comes the light, he'd rather go back to bed

well instead of being poor we will be poor with lots of babies

My state provides birth control to anyone who needs it.

Only the stupid will be saddled with unwanted babies.

I've been in a sexual recession for about 3 or 4 years now; and I have been broke my whole life. Nothing has changed.

My state provides birth control to anyone who needs it.

Only the stupid will be saddled with unwanted babies.

and those who cant take the pill for medical issues.
Or those depending on condoms and have the unfortunate instance of one breaking.
Or any other chain of events that Americas we are poor lets orgy philosophy may lead to.

I've been in a sexual recession for about 3 or 4 years now; and I have been broke my whole life. Nothing has changed.

and if you paid money for ra prostitute you would be even poorer Proof the system works !!!!

my kids will spend Valentine's night at a relatives.

we said we are going out, but instead,we are are staying home.

For less than half the price of dinner, movies and drinks afterwards, I picked up steaks and lobster tails and champagne.

Light a fire, put on some music,eat,drink and bang.

My house is like a mountain resort when the kids arent here.

And add breakfast in under that cost too- I have all the fixins for eggs benedict/coffee/OJ.

I'm looking foward to it.

my kids will spend Valentine's night at a relatives.

we said we are going out, but instead,we are are staying home.

For less than half the price of dinner, movies and drinks afterwards, I picked up steaks and lobster tails and champagne.

Light a fire, put on some music,eat,drink and bang.

My house is like a mountain resort when the kids arent here.

And add breakfast in under that cost too- I have all the fixins for eggs benedict/coffee/OJ.

I'm looking foward to it.

I got to admit there is just something that gets my inner romantic going when i cook for her or she cooks for me.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/health/7874408.stm
So where do y'all fit in - too broke to do anything other than rut, or too tired and anxious to even consider it?

My dick has just lost half an inch!

Just kidding.

I got to admit there is just something that gets my inner romantic going when i cook for her or she cooks for me.

same here.

I got to admit there is just something that gets my inner romantic going when i cook for her or she cooks for me.
Is it usually a sandwitch?

Is it usually a sandwitch?

well normally we make sashimi so cooking is a bit of a stretch.

My dick has just lost half an inch!
That's quite a loss, seeing as it was only half an inch to start with. :p

Much the same as usual for me! ;¬)

That's quite a loss, seeing as it was only half an inch to start with.
I just was afraid your butt won't handle any more.

I am hornier but I do not know why.

I am hornier but I do not know why.

Men period. *nod*

I believe the frequency in my case is about the same as it had been. The practice is only improving.

Men period. *nod*

Yeah that is probably it. I have my man period.

Yeah that is probably it. I have my man period.

Yup.

Yeah that is probably it. I have my man period.

Also known as "being on your MOTOR CYCLE."

Also known as "being on your MOTOR CYCLE."

LOL! I rather like that.:tongue:

LOL! I rather like that.:tongue:

We Y-chromosomers occasionally also suffer from Manopause later in life.

We Y-chromosomers occasionally also suffer from Manopause later in life.

Indeed you do. It's called andropause, if I'm not mistaken.

Also known as "being on your MOTOR CYCLE."

I am embarassed to admit that I do not get it. Me feel stupid.

I am embarassed to admit that I do not get it. Me feel stupid.
I believe it's a play on "menstrual cycle," but tailored to stereotypical male cycled vehicles.

I believe it's a play on "menstrual cycle," but tailored to stereotypical male cycled vehicles.

Ohhh ahhhh.

Yeah that is probably it. I have my man period.

That sounds..... painful. o.0

No change for me. I wasn't getting any before the recession, and I'm not getting any now.:(

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=phuaH2gE2WM

Shagging the missus is still free, so I predict that it will continue. ;)

Meh, Porn is what I have...Porn is largely free...

My libido isnt suffering, lol...

Economic depression > Unemployment > Boredom > Fucking > Kids > Consumption > Recovery.

It's the circle of life.

I would love to say that the sex will flow, but I'm afraid that the economic squeeze may direct many couples' attention away from the truly important things in life..

well instead of being poor we will be poor with lots of babies

And get more money from government benefits.

Yay, daddys going drinking.

And get more money from government benefits.

Yay, daddys going drinking.

so that's how demand side economics works.

I would love to say that the sex will flow, but I'm afraid that the economic squeeze may direct many couples' attention away from the truly important things in life..

Anal?

I have remained unaffected by the economic downturn/recession/end-of-the-world. I'm too poor to have lost anything in the stock market, and I liquidated the assets I did have at the right moment.

So yeah, as horny as ever.

So yeah, as horny as ever.

Of course. It's the white man's god that has been roused from it's slumber.

I would somewhat agree with this study, and I think both the increase in attraction under stress and breakdown of existing relationships are compatible.

Under stress, we look for options, any option that helps us out of the stress, I would say dopamine causes us to act impulsively.

Your body has no opinion on how you act, it just wants to you act.

Sex is a great "low cost activity"

Sex is a great "low cost activity"

And it enriches life.

And it enriches life.

Only in aggregate.

You'd be better off avoiding it from a personal point of view.

Only in aggregate.

You'd be better off avoiding it from a personal point of view.

Well, you do have a point. Sex, or the consequences of it, are sometimes things we do want to avoid. Pregnancy, STDs, and other things. But if done with someone you 'love', it is surely and enriching experience.

And it enriches life.

I wholeheartedly agree

Well, you do have a point. Sex, or the consequences of it, are sometimes things we do want to avoid. Pregnancy, STDs, and other things. But if done with someone you 'love', it is surely and enriching experience.

It's a personal v. aggregate sort of thing.

Sex is very nice, don't get me wrong. But in general it is a lousy risk reward on a personal basis, whereas it is a societal plus on a general basis.

The whole kids, no kids thing. (Which is usually the outcome).

My dick has just lost half an inch!
*shifts uncomfortably*
Nah ... just found it.

On topic, i was discussing this with wifey a little bit ago at the restaurant.
How certain seemingly external forces, in proportion, will make people deal within their more localized circles different. The conversation also kinda stemmed from something else i'd been reading ... quotes as follows:
So long as man remains free he strives for nothing so incessantly and so painfully as to find someone to worship.

&

The human spirit is characterized by inertia. Although the body already finds itself in new relations of labor, the mind lags behind in grasping the new forms. Traditions, legends, have their hold on the brains of the living.
Point? Apparently, in the 1937 Census read out that as many (perhaps) as 50 million "believers" checked the box as such in Stalin's Russia ... not anonymously, at that. Outward pressure often helping people to focus on inner resolution.

I wholeheartedly agree

So do I. :)

So do I. :)

I forget.