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tricksterson Never Trust from Behind you with an icepick Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Never Trust
#526: Nov 3rd 2011 at 9:04:40 AM

Why does everyone assume that if cousins (or brother and sister or whatever combination you wish) hook up they will do so with the intent of producing babies? Yes, it might result but in this day and age it's unlikely to be what they want to do and there are a number of ways to prevent it. As for those who object on moral grounds or the grounds of creepiness noones trying to make you do it. As for myself, hooked up with a cousin on and off when we were young, dumb and horny, would never do so with any of my closer female relatives even if they were willing (unlikely in the extreme) simply because they don't appeal to me physically or otherwise.

Trump delenda est
Octo Prince of Dorne from Germany Since: Mar, 2011
Prince of Dorne
#527: Nov 3rd 2011 at 11:21:48 AM

Why couldn't cousins have children? To me, that's just not even incest to begin with! That's... a bit of an American pecularity.

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Ramidel (Before Time Began) Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
#529: Nov 3rd 2011 at 5:01:04 PM

@Tricksterson: Regarding breeding...

1: In any heterosexual coupling, accidents may happen. Condoms break, people forget the pill, agreements are tossed out in the heat of passion. 2: "But they can abort" is not an acceptable social policy response to the possibility of reproduction anywhere in the world.

Thus, the rules regarding het coupling will always assume the possibility of nine-month consequences, and quite rightly too.

I despise hypocrisy, unless of course it is my own.
kashchei Since: May, 2010
#530: Nov 3rd 2011 at 5:08:40 PM

It is wherever abortion is legal.

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?
joeyjojo Happy New Year! from South Sydney: go the bunnies! Since: Jan, 2001
Happy New Year!
#531: Nov 3rd 2011 at 5:13:19 PM

Do not derails this into the abortion debate.

edited 3rd Nov '11 5:13:31 PM by joeyjojo

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Katrika Since: Jul, 2009
#532: Nov 3rd 2011 at 6:51:05 PM

...is everyone forgetting vasectomies and hysterectomies?

"You fail to grasp the basic principles of mad science. Common sense would be cheating." - Narbonic
Jeysie Diva of Virtual Death from Western Massachusetts Since: Jun, 2010
Diva of Virtual Death
#533: Nov 3rd 2011 at 7:01:01 PM

I think you mean vasectomies and tubal ligations. Hysterectomies are overkill, and not a good idea unless you need one for personal medical reasons.

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Katrika Since: Jul, 2009
#534: Nov 3rd 2011 at 7:04:55 PM

Oh, alright. But if one (or both) of members of the couple got the respective operation, then there's really no chance of a baby, provided everyone is faithful. Right?

edited 3rd Nov '11 7:05:14 PM by Katrika

"You fail to grasp the basic principles of mad science. Common sense would be cheating." - Narbonic
kashchei Since: May, 2010
#535: Nov 3rd 2011 at 7:08:06 PM

Those are not options for everyone, even if the operations are, for a substantial fee, reversible.

Even if you're committed to your brother/uncle/cousin/whatever, there is always a chance that the relationship will go sour.

edited 3rd Nov '11 7:09:50 PM by kashchei

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?
Katrika Since: Jul, 2009
#536: Nov 3rd 2011 at 7:10:48 PM

But what if you don't want kids anyway?

"You fail to grasp the basic principles of mad science. Common sense would be cheating." - Narbonic
kashchei Since: May, 2010
#537: Nov 3rd 2011 at 7:12:27 PM

Then you better be damn certain you won't want them ever. Again, even though the procedure is reversible, the reversal is expensive and carries risks with it.

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?
Katrika Since: Jul, 2009
#538: Nov 3rd 2011 at 7:29:38 PM

Adoption.

"You fail to grasp the basic principles of mad science. Common sense would be cheating." - Narbonic
kashchei Since: May, 2010
#539: Nov 3rd 2011 at 7:34:15 PM

Won't help if you want your own.

edited 3rd Nov '11 7:35:04 PM by kashchei

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?
Katrika Since: Jul, 2009
#540: Nov 3rd 2011 at 7:42:00 PM

Surrogate mother.

"You fail to grasp the basic principles of mad science. Common sense would be cheating." - Narbonic
kashchei Since: May, 2010
#541: Nov 3rd 2011 at 7:48:48 PM

If you can afford one, and if you aren't opposed to the idea.

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?
feotakahari Fuzzy Orange Doomsayer from Looking out at the city Since: Sep, 2009
Fuzzy Orange Doomsayer
#542: Nov 3rd 2011 at 7:59:17 PM

^ I don't mean any disrespect, but I have no idea what your argument is at this point. Are you okay with incest, not okay with it, or arguing that being pro-incest necessitates being pro-abortion?

That's Feo . . . He's a disgusting, mysoginistic, paedophilic asshat who moonlights as a shitty writer—Something Awful
kashchei Since: May, 2010
#543: Nov 3rd 2011 at 8:05:33 PM

I'm okay with anything that doesn't involve me and doesn't harm anyone else, but I don't see how my opinion is relevant to the alternatives a couple has at their disposal.

And better than thy stroke; why swellest thou then?
Madrugada Zzzzzzzzzz Since: Jan, 2001 Relationship Status: In season
Zzzzzzzzzz
#544: Nov 3rd 2011 at 9:42:55 PM

<Mod Hat ON>

But the topic of the thread is not the alternatives a couple has to having a kid.

Please keep your head and arms inside the thread as we return to our original topic.

<Mod Hat OFF>

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tricksterson Never Trust from Behind you with an icepick Since: Apr, 2009 Relationship Status: Above such petty unnecessities
Never Trust
#545: Nov 4th 2011 at 10:22:13 AM

All I'm saying is there are a lot more alternatives than there were a century ago which takes away, or at least seriously diminishes the "their kids would have three heads and six arms" argument (aside from the fact that realistically, they wouldn't). Also in the case of a pregnancy there's gene scanning to evaluate the risks.

Trump delenda est
bulmabriefs144 Since: Sep, 2011
#546: Jan 17th 2012 at 6:54:46 AM

Incest is bad for two reasons, Squick factor and genetic anomalies. They call royal people blue blooded, but there is an actual blood disorder that can happen through too much inbreeding (besides the obvious hemophilia there's stuff like cystic fibrosis, and one other one). That said, most of the people outside my family I'm ultimately not interested in because I really haven't known them long enough to trust them, though I have seriously tried. I do however have a huge crush on my cousin. The only thing stopping me from a relationship with her is (1) I'm shy with any girl, (2) I might not be Squicked but she might be.

Also, the incest thing is blown out of proportion by the media due to SoCalization. Maybe somewhere in California it's taboo for cousins to marry and have kids, but it's really not in Virginia (but of course, TV says this is the rule for the entire US). In places where first cousins are not allowed, you can marry your second cousin (I've met her too, and she's nice but about to be married herself, and I don't really know her).

Wikipedia said the risk isn't actually that much greater with cousins. 4% versus 2% out in the normal population. Mainly because the population even people had to all go elsewhere would run out of people who weren't some way related.

In terms of Squick, I'm pretty sure marrying your niece is more often forbidden than marrying your cousin. Even if you're a much younger brother than your sister, I'm certain you can imagine. Not to mention you're almost a father, it smacks of Wife Husbandry and a ton of other things.

edited 17th Jan '12 7:04:29 AM by bulmabriefs144

joeyjojo Happy New Year! from South Sydney: go the bunnies! Since: Jan, 2001
Happy New Year!
#547: Jan 17th 2012 at 8:12:43 AM
Thumped: This post was thumped by the Stick of Off-Topic Thumping. Stay on topic, please.
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Discar Since: Jun, 2009
#548: Jan 17th 2012 at 8:24:59 AM

I've actually heard that second cousins are the most genetically compatible pairings, but I haven't done any real research on that. Anyone know if there's any truth in that?

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