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From: mat@mtx5a.UUCP (m.terribile)
Newsgroups: net.singles,net.med,net.bio
Subject: Re: Re: why not incest?
Message-ID: <1440@mtx5a.UUCP>
Date: Mon, 28-Jul-86 03:18:31 EDT
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Posted: Mon Jul 28 03:18:31 1986
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> 
> > Specifically, in the case of father/daughter incest, the effect of mating with
> > her father can be profoundingly devastating to the daughter.  I'm not an 
> > authority by any means.  Let's hear from some of the mental health 
> > professionals.
> 
> Well, I'm not a professional, but it seems to me any "devastating effect"
> is due solely to the social stigma we heap on the subject.  It's WRONG
> WRONG you're BAD BAD don't tell ANYONE etc.  I can't imagine these effects
> were felt by "cavepeople" (no flames, I'm not an anthropologist either).
> 
> 			Scott

Studies have shown that among wolves, there is an ``incest taboo'': animals
that are raised as siblings do not become interested in each other
sexually.  They, at least, have a something in the ``family'' bonding that
is incompatible with sexual activity.

It would appear that we are capable of stronger family bonds --
both sibling and sexual -- than they are.  It seems that there may be
something in the way we are built that makes these two incompatible.
It also seems likely that there is also an incompatibility between
parent/child relationships and sexual relationships.  Not that
there isn't an element of sex in everything -- oedipal feelings at one
stage are normal -- but that the drives have to coalesce into their adult
forms without spilling over too much into other places.  And they get all
tangled and misdirected when deep prohibitions like those that normally
prevent sibling and parent/child incest are deliberately violated.

Also, we humans *do* connect sex with other feelings.  Consider all
of the time that we've spent on .singles with talking about how
*closeness* is what sex is about, and not just the sex drive.  That
kind of intimacy requires relationships with different power/approval
structures than the parent-child relationship ...

The existance of rules does not require that society be messed up ...
-- 

	from Mole End			Mark Terribile
		(scrape .. dig )	mtx5b!mat
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