Why do "normal" people complain about lack of libido?

[happousai (imported)]

In "normal" society, lack of libido (sexual desire) seems to be seen as a bad thing.

Why?

I could understand how lack of sexual function would be seen as a problem, when one wants to have sex.

But how is lack of desire a problem? Do people want to want to have sex?

[Mac (imported)]

In "normal" society, lack of libido (sexual desire) seems to be seen as a bad thing. I could understand how lack of sexual function would be seen as a problem, when one wants to have sex. But how is lack of desire a problem? Do people want to want to have sex?

Sexual desire becomes a problem when it can't be satisfied. The tensions and frustrations are frequently unbearable. I can't imagine when a lack of function coupled with a lack of desire would be a problem.

[radar (imported)]

In "normal" society, lack of libido (sexual desire) seems to be seen as a bad thing.

Why?

I could understand how lack of sexual function would be seen as a problem, when one wants to have sex.

But how is lack of desire a problem? Do people want to want to have sex?

For one thing, it can be a BIG problem when lack of libido is one symptom of a more general depression brought about by markedly reduced testosterone levels. It's a problem with which I myself struggle. Anti-depressant medications can only do so much.

It also has deep-seated psychological implications. Traditionally, male libido has been recognized as the driving force in a culture's survival and prosperity, and a strong libido has been seen as an outward expression of one's inner power. Feminism has done much in recent years to vilify male libido, and male sexuality in general, but the underlying perception that virility is a good thing remains with us. Its loss is often mourned deeply.

Then too, there's the fact that sexual performance is, for many, the door to sexual closeness, and to intimacy in one's relationships. For such people -- and I'd say that it applies to most people -- a loss of libido is an impediment to the ability to sustain intimacy on other levels. (And we can argue all day about whether those people should react this way, but that won't change the fact that they do.)

When accident or medical necessity forces a man to become a eunich, or even when it's just a case of a failure in one's hormone production mechanism, it can be traumatic. Some men, like Andrew, are able to adjust to their new status with few apparent problems. For them, the advantages outweigh any cultural factors. For others, however, their personal identity is too tied up with their sexual identity for adjustment to be easy, or even possible.

I mean, as much as anyone might believe it would be the best thing for him, does anyone really believe that Bill Clinton could ever adjust to being a eunich?