Heheh, so I was discussing incest with a friend once. He was saying that there is no real argument against incest, except for the fact that it’s already a social taboo in many cultures.
So, do any of you guys have a valid argument against incest (if you remember, the belief that incestual reproduction was largely hazardous was rebuked last year by a bunch of scientists; even if it hadn’t been, that wouldn’t explain the problem with same-sex incest)?
Please note that I’m not voicing any opinion about it. So don’t start flaming me. Just wanted to get a discussion going.
It’s alive and well in my husband’s family. They’re both older, so no chance of children. It’s still pretty fucked up. It’s a social thing. They have no problem with it and we’ve all come to accept it. Still pretty creepy.
I believe the study last year only said incest was a lot less likely to cause birth defects in resultant children, but that the chance of birth defects was still higher than the population on average.
Given the fine line evolution makes you tread (I saw a documentary on Neanderthals that posited that a birth rate 2% higher would have them still with us today), that small difference in birth defect rates probably selects for people who find incest icky.
My WAG, therefore, is that most people have a biological bent against incest.
My two cents on the whole thing–don’t have kids if it’s going to fuck 'em up. Then again, I don’t personally think anybody should be having kids, so that stands across the board.
Besides the reproduction thing, I couldn’t care less. I don’t know exactly why someone would choose to marry/have a sexual relationship with a brother or sister or cousin, but whatever. I personally don’t find anything alluring about my family, immediate or extended, but to each their own, I suppose. Who’s it hurting? Not me.
the necessity of a definition of what constitutes incest is apparent.
It seems that parent child relationship is universally (?) incest.
Sibling-sibling is usually incest, but not always.
First cousins are often not considerd incest, (historically and all).
IIRC, some cultures call brothers what I would cal first cousins. So the relationship between the individuals has to be well defined in the definition.
Regardless of the biological implication there are signifigant social implications.
For example, urine is sterile, but I don’t want it on me or on the hands of my food service worker.
As a victim of incest (my father felt it necessary to force himself on me from the age of 4 until I escaped his house of hell) Can you even imagine how horrible it would have been for me to have carried a child that would also be my sibling? Thankfully he never got me pregnant!
I would have to say that not all incest is best (to quote the op)
If you have consenting adults then fine… I think it is icky but I also think threesomes are icky as are open relationships. But I’m not trying to be the relationship nazi just don’t expect me to cheer for you
If you commit incest with a child then that is criminal as well as disgusting and I cannot say what should happen to you on a public message board.
between mutually consenting adults? No problem, adults ought to be free to do as they choose with each other
where it concerns a child - big problems, it is abuse pure and simple.
My philosophy is, if other people want to shag their cousins/siblings/parents, more power to them, as long as both are consenting adults. Though incest doesn’t appeal to me. Maybe my relatives just aren’t hot enough, though I have to doubt that’s the reason. Probably more to do with societal conditioning.
And I’m with QueerGeekGirl on the reproduction issue.
Hmm, although I very much appreciate the idea of consenting adults, I have doubt whether it is really possible to consent having sex with someone who has been in a hierarchical relationship with you all your childhood life. This goes especially for parent/child relationships, but also for brothers/sisters who don’t share the same age or even status in a family.
It seems to me there is a probem there, any thoughts?
But QGG if nobody has kids, then the Hoomahn race dies out and…
Oh.
I understand.
yes, yes. We mutants can take over.
Goodbeam makes a good point. I’m of the opinion that many incests either are a result of unheathy self image or may cause it. Just seems like there’s always problems associated with incest.
I can’t stand to be in the same room with my sister, let alone in her pants. Barf-ola! This has got be one of the more disgusting threads I’ve seen in a while, but its a great place to display one of my old sig lines!
She told me she loved me like a brother. She was from West Virginia, hence the Joy!
I agree with goodbeam too… any kind of hierarchical relationship puts added pressures and problems when made sexual. (Just think of all the problems that come up when a boss/employee get involved… then translate that to family!!) I was thinking more of cousins in my previous post.
Yes, personally, I’n not a big fan of incest either. It ruins lives more than anything else. Ive seen it happen and am glad that it wasn’t in my family.
But, I can see the value of the OP; social disgust does not seem te be a valid reason to condemn something definitely. Why, after all, should incest always be wrong?. I do think it is, but it is hard to nail it down.
So far we’ve got (IMHO):
problems of relation (e.g. slightly bigger chance of birth defects, your daughter being you sister or your son your brother).
the minor/major issue and the law
even with consent, the fact that a hierarchical relationship is almost always present
Fine…I’m a judgemental freak. But this topic is just so Mundo Creepy to me that I don’t understand why more people don’t feel that way.
I suppose in a really cold/clinical discussion it would depend on the consenting adults and a non reproductive commitment. That and …
Eeeewww!!!Eeeewww!!!Eeeewww!!!Eeeewww!!!Eeeewww!!!
This is Ickier than falling nekkid into a tub of Leeches!!!
Sorry but this is inaccurate. You were not a victim of incest. You were a victim of child abuse. The person abusing you happened to be your father, but it could have been anybody else and it would have been equaly bad.
Incest is not about raping children, its just a term for sex with a relative.
Goodbeam: The minor/major issue is not an issue specifically linked with incest. Its a general issue. Sex with a minor is a crime, regadless of what the relationship between the parties is.
