What's Your Number?

In a culture where hook ups and one night stands are things that are discussed in casual conversation, there appears to be something in the back of a lot of people's mind.

The number...

No, not the one to your phone; your Myspace or Facebook will do just fine thank you. You can keep the social security one too; there's more interest in what's in your pants than what's in your bank account.

What people really seem to want to know is how many people you've slept with.

There's a lot to this number. Apparently, you can use it as a way to determine someone's character, music tastes and future earning potential. You have to be careful with it too and cultivate it appropriately; those new to the game of sex can find themselves on the outside looking in. Like a job, initial experience can be hard to get (if you're male anyway) but is usually necessary to get the very good ones.

Unlike work however, your sexual experience can do more harm than good. To some people, more doesn't necessarily mean better. They believe those who've had a number of sexual partners beyond the arbitrary ideal number, regardless of whether they've conducted themselves safely and reasonably, clearly have some unresolved intimacy issues.

Words like slut or manwhore are often ascribed to those who enjoy sex outside of committed (don't forget heterosexual) relationships. Because anyone who chooses not to be in that sort of relationship at any given point of their lives without forgoing their sexual impulses should have a derogatory noun attached to them.

With that said, guard your number carefully... because there's a lot more riding on it than you think.

~ Alex Rose