That Rational Risky Sex
Todd Zywicki links to a study about parental notification laws, which has an abstract that begins in this amusing fashion:
Laws requiring minors to seek parental consent or to notify a parent prior to obtaining an abortion raise the cost of risky sex for teenagers. Assuming choices to engage in risky sex are made rationally, parental involvement laws should lead to less risky sex among teens, either because of a reduction of sexual activity altogether or because teens will be more fastidious in the use of birth control ex ante.
This is reminiscent of the old economist joke:
A physicist, a chemist and an economist are stranded on an island, with nothing to eat. A can of soup washes ashore. The physicist says, “Let’s smash the can open with a rock.” The chemist says, “Let’s build a fire and heat the can first.” The economist says, “Let’s assume that we have a can-opener…”
Then the three of them engage in risky sex. Rationally, I assume.
Choices to engage in risky sex are made intentionally, if not rationally. After all, people aren’t just helpless victims of our own irresistable urges. We’re responsible for what we do, except for those of
Andrew (d1556d) — 11/8/2005 @ 6:07 amusyou who are completely insane.If the choice to have sex is not rational, then it follows that the specter of having to notify your parents as an eventual consequence of that risky sex is nil.
And if it’s not deterrence they’re after, what’s the point of probing into the thought process, olt, leading kids to have sex at all? Just call it a moral (“policy”) choice to have the state vindicate parental authority over countervailing liberty/safety interests of the kids.
biwah (f5ca22) — 11/8/2005 @ 6:19 amIf we’re going to get all serious about it, then I suppose there is indeed a rational component to the decision. But look at the category, people! It’s “humor”!
Patterico (4e4b70) — 11/8/2005 @ 6:26 amThe joke was funny, but the topic too provocative to pass up.
biwah (f5ca22) — 11/8/2005 @ 6:36 amYup.
Andrew (08ba2c) — 11/8/2005 @ 2:13 pm