Content warning: this post contains poetically illustrative passages on sex and the topics surrounding sexual contact. If this topic is sensitive for you, please use personal discretion before/during/after reading.
Sex can be pretty great but since I signed the Greenville University Lifestyle Statement
Sex is great, but not that great objectively speaking
Sex is fun, sure, but people also get a rush of dopamine from methamphetamine, neither are totally safe. Fun does not equal safe, or even good. Sex is a rather germy activity. The presence of athlete’s foot, STDs and bodily excretions of all manner and state can complicate intimacy for some people. Some sex goers may even find themselves with a surprise unwanted pregnancy (whoa, sex works?). While safe sex has gotten easier with condoms, birth control medications and other such procedures, there is no way (outside of abstinence-only education or looking like me) to totally protect yourself or your partner. But that may all change soon.
Enter the world of digital sexual relationships
Physical contact is on its way out. We have crazy accessible texting, even if you can’t pay. We have free video call services such as FaceTime, Skype (for the old folks) and Snapchat. More and more of our lives and interactions are being handled remotely, and it’s only a matter of time before sex is added to that list. The rapid rise of virtual reality (VR) is perhaps the biggest step in this direction, with machinery capable of running it getting cheaper and cheaper and graphical capabilities getting better and better. It’s only natural that once the tech is accessible, that facet of our lives will move into the digital world, more so than it has already. For good reason too, as digital sex has a lot of benefits, and eventually, it may even feel real.
There are no STDs, pregnancies or consequences in VR
(Unless maybe you’re into that)
STDs are the driving deterrent when it comes to educating teens on sex in school. This isn’t an issue in VR. There is no contact, so there is no contagious consequence. Aside from some long-term brain changes, there may be no consequences at all. Computers don’t get STDs, they get viruses, which are oftentimes more easy to remove. In a serious situation, you can always just get another computer, it’s substantially more difficult to get a new body. VR could also eliminate the chances of an unwanted pregnancy, as the mechanical criteria for conceiving probably won’t make it into VR anytime soon (phew). In the case of a sexual experience not going a direction you’re comfortable with, you can just log out. This makes the environment safer in that sense as well. There are certainly a lot of physical incentives at play in favor of cybersex.
You have control over your experience
Real sex can get complicated real fast. It’s saturated in expectations on either side (or all sides if you’re into that), and the Kama Sutra only lists 64 positions (depending on which revision), so it can get old fast. In the virtual world, you can decide how you look, do only what you like, and craft a wonderful experience from the ground up, which isn’t always available in real life. Want to be a little taller? You can probably add that to your avatar for $4.99. Want a longer… arm? 8 bucks. It’s going to be a heck of a time. Blue hair everywhere (everywhere you customize it to be at least). There are still a few kinks to work out, but rest assured that in no time at all we will be enjoying a new level of intimacy, but with more monthly subscription costs and less actual intimacy. Hopefully.
I really don’t think this should have gotten published. It is not a good representation of our school or its students.
The motto for the Papyrus is student news, student views. These articles are not about the views of the general public, or professors. This is an opinion piece that demonstrates a view that is held by some people. It is meant to be entertaining as well as informative about this opinion. The article is not in contradiction of Greenville’s lifestyle statement as it is specifically stated to be addressing sex in the context of marriage. We should not be encouraging a culture of sex shaming. This is a single opinion and the purpose of the opinion section is to highlight opinions that are held by students. It is not a representation of the school as a whole.
I fully agree with the student above. Nicely stated, Kayla. Yes, this is an opinion piece (hints this article being found in the opinion section). This writer took verification and storytelling to make his piece newsworthy, to get people interested in reading it. If this is different than what the institution stands for, then that’s great. Our views should be challenged with different perspectives. Although I am unsure of what the exact problem with this article is for those who disagree with it. Could you write a rebuttal piece in response to this opinion article, Anna? As one reader of this newspaper, I’d be interested in reading it.
One of the best pieces of student writing I’ve ever read. Super proud of the author, and the rest of our students who can think critically (and humorously!) about “big” questions.