Why did Nature evolve sex?

The bacterium reproduce quite successfully using asexual reproduction. The thrips can go either way. Most plants have organs of both genders, but a few of the higher order plants are segregated into male and female. Of those, only the living fossil, the Ginkgo Biloba tree, is capable of playing the thrips trick and self propagating when no opposite-gender partner is nearby.

But all higher animal life forms use sexual reproduction exclusively. Why? Don’t get me wrong. I love sex the way it works now, and would never wish it rescinded in favor of self propagation. But wouldn’t our chances of survival be enhanced if we could reproduce asexually like the bacterium, or do the gender blender tricks the thrips and the ginkgo tree employ?