Letter to the editor

emily · Post by **emily** » 6/27/2003, 7:23 am

Aerin wrote:Yep. It's very interesting how incest taboos work. See, humans are programmed to not be sexually attracted to peers they grew up with, which is normally their siblings and cousins. It cancels the other evolutionary pressure towards mating with genetically similar individuals. You want SOME homogeneity (to increase good traits like intelligence, physical strength, whatever you have that you want passed on), but too much can result in, among other things, retarded children.

The theory also explains why siblings raised apart who meet later in life (not knowing they're siblings) often get married. Without the incest taboo, all your genes see is someone VERY similar you, and say "hot damn! let's hook up with that spicy specimen!"

Anthropology = fascinating.

sort of like Luke and Leia!!!

Galaxia · Post by **Galaxia** » 6/27/2003, 11:52 am

Egyptian royalty kept it in the family; usually a brother/sister type thing. Every three generations I believe they brought in a cousin or something to prevent the retarded children thing from happening.

I AM ME · Post by **I AM ME** » 6/27/2003, 3:06 pm

way keep the blood pure egypt..........lol they're family tree must have like 3 branches

One-Eye · Post by **One-Eye** » 6/27/2003, 7:07 pm

Actually, if incest is consensual and has no possibility of resulting in children, I don't have a problem with it. Sex isn't sacred. It's just something people do. As long as it's not harmful or dangerous (to participants or possible offspring), why the fuck to we care what people do behind closed doors?

Galaxia · Post by **Galaxia** » 6/27/2003, 11:06 pm

Aerin wrote:Actually, if incest is consensual and has no possibility of resulting in children, I don't have a problem with it. Sex isn't sacred. It's just something people do. As long as it's not harmful or dangerous (to participants or possible offspring), why the fuck to we care what people do behind closed doors?

What about adultry? If a couple is married and the husband starts screwing around.... It is sex between two consensual adults, so that must mean it's ok! [/moderate sarcasm]

Sex isn't sacred. It's just something people do.

How does that make us as humans any different from animals?

One-Eye · Post by **One-Eye** » 6/27/2003, 11:07 pm

What's wrong with adultery? THAT's already legal.

And who says that humans were different than animals? We're a little more intelligent, but...?

Narbus · Post by **Narbus** » 6/28/2003, 1:12 am

Galaxia wrote:What about adultry? If a couple is married and the husband starts screwing around.... It is sex between two consensual adults, so that must mean it's ok! [/moderate sarcasm]

Legally, yes. Why should the government be able to jump in bed with me? If a person does cheat on their significant other, then said other always has the right to leave the cheater, whether it be divorce or just dumping them.
If a person consents to their S/O having an affair, then why should the government be able to say "No, you can't do that?"

One-Eye · Post by **One-Eye** » 6/28/2003, 2:15 am

Agreed. Adultery is far too complicated and personal to legislate. I don't know why people don't just live their lives according to their personal morals and let others live their lives according to theirs.

That's not directed at anyone here, by the way. I just wish people in general would give up on legislating personal morality.

emily · Post by **emily** » 6/28/2003, 6:49 am

I see humans as much of animals as cats and dogs. We just have more intelligence. But I don't want this to get into an evolution-creation battle.

starvingeyes · Post by **starvingeyes** » 6/28/2003, 10:42 am

Aerin wrote:Agreed. Adultery is far too complicated and personal to legislate. I don't know why people don't just live their lives according to their personal morals and let others live their lives according to theirs.

That's not directed at anyone here, by the way. I just wish people in general would give up on legislating personal morality.

you mean like welfare?

One-Eye · Post by **One-Eye** » 6/28/2003, 3:13 pm

Welfare is economic, not moral...

Narbus · Post by **Narbus** » 6/28/2003, 6:16 pm

Actually, it is kinda moral. Welfare is the Government saying "You will help the less fortunate, because it's The Right Thing To Do." Pay no attention to your personal feelings on helping these people, you will do it, because we're nice to others.[/code]

emily · Post by **emily** » 6/28/2003, 6:20 pm

so what exactly is the government supposed to do??

Narbus · Post by **Narbus** » 6/28/2003, 6:36 pm

Why do you expect them to do anything at all?

emily · Post by **emily** » 6/28/2003, 6:40 pm

I've grown up thinking that's partly what they're there for.

Narbus · Post by **Narbus** » 6/28/2003, 6:46 pm

I don't see how it's fair for me to be punished because other people can't manage their lives. I attend college full time and hold down a job and I'm losing a lot of money each year because of welfare, medicare, and the like, just because someone living half a continent away decided it was my job to make sure a lot of people I'm never going to meet have money. I don't think that's fair or right at all.

emily · Post by **emily** » 6/28/2003, 6:47 pm

so screw the other people even if it's not their fault that they are poor? you really wished we lived in a harsh country.

Narbus · Post by **Narbus** » 6/28/2003, 7:05 pm

No, let me decide if I want to help or not. Don't just tell me I have to do it. I want the choice.

emily · Post by **emily** » 6/28/2003, 7:08 pm

but would you if you could decide?

Narbus · Post by **Narbus** » 6/28/2003, 7:12 pm

Why does that matter?