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Why do humans prefer to mate in private?
Anecdotal evidence suggests that human beings generally prefer to mate in private—but why? And why is it so rare? Other than humans, only one other species has demonstrated a preference for privacy during mating: Arabian babblers. To learn more, [anthropologist Yitzchak] Ben Mocha retrieved data from 4,572 accounts of cultural studies—ethnographies—and studied them looking for what he describes as normal sexual practices. Those involved were not trying to shock or avoid punishment for engaging in taboo practices such as incest—and were also not in the pornography business. He found that virtually every known culture practices private mating—even in places where privacy is difficult to find. He also looked for examples of other animals mating in private, and found none, except for the babblers. He also found that there were no explanations for it, and in fact, there were very few other people wondering why humans have such a proclivity. And, not surprisingly, he was unable to find any evolutionary theories on the topic.
Journal Reference:
Yitzchak Ben Mocha. Why do human and non-human species conceal mating? The cooperation maintenance hypothesis, Proceedings of the Royal Society B (DOI: 10.1098/rspb.2020.1330)
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday August 06 2020, @07:33PM (16 children)
Churches
Churches (and by use of this word, I'm thinking various groups labeled "Christian") would say sex is only evil outside marriage. I don't know of any churches, or even religions that label sex within marriage as evil. (Although I would be open to any correction on that point.)
Aside: to any churches that would try to influence legislation about specific practices which they view as evil, I would offer advice. If you truly believe (as I do) then maybe it would be better to pray for those people and show them love rather than just condemn them. If you really think they are doing something wrong. You can't make someone believe. I think we are fortunate that churches do not have the enforcement power of government.
Governments
I don't know of any governments that label sex as evil in a general sense. As far as I know, governments mostly regulate things like public decency and age of consent. Although some governments or US states have at times regulated specific private practices in some misguided attempt at something. But I know of no government condemning all sex of every kind as evil.
Corporations
Corporations are even more interesting. I know of no corporations that have policies about sex, other than keeping it out of the workplace. But again, I would be interested to learn of any counter examples.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 3, Insightful) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 06 2020, @07:38PM (5 children)
Many Christian groups believe that sex inside marriage without the purpose of procreation is immoral - hence the opposition to contraceptives and abortion.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday August 06 2020, @09:11PM (3 children)
I think you might mean Catholics.
I bet those same groups would sanction the marriage of two older people who are too old to have children. I wonder what they think is the reason those people might be getting married for.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 1, Informative) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 06 2020, @10:30PM
I was thinking of my grandparents, who are Lutheran. Catholics are still Christian though.
(Score: 4, Interesting) by choose another one on Thursday August 06 2020, @11:31PM (1 child)
> I bet those same groups would sanction the marriage of two older people who are too old to have children.
Catholics have already run through that argument and have an answer for it (same as the "what if he/she is infertile" question) - basically if God wants it to happen she will make it so, call it a miracle or whatever, which makes it all ok to get married to have sex.
Oddly the same answer doesn't apply to same sex marriage, God is clearly fussy about exactly which miracles of procreation are acceptable, and in which animals (since sequential hermaphroditism and gynandromorphism etc. exist in God's animal creations...). Or to oral sex, or anal, and so on and so forth all the way to "every sperm is sacred".
> I wonder what they think is the reason those people might be getting married for.
Not only do they think it, in fact they _must_ be getting married for that - impotence (not infertility) is a bar to marriage for Catholics, marriage _must_ be consummated to be valid, which specifically means semen in vagina, no other way. If the parties cannot do that then the one true church will not marry them, and yes medical evidence may be required if there is doubt.
Yes, I was once a Catholic and my late grandmother was widowed then remarried when in her 70s - this stuff was the subject of much family discussion.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Saturday August 08 2020, @06:34AM
So your religion used to be Catholic, but at some point you decided to choose another one?
(Score: 2) by ChrisMaple on Friday August 07 2020, @02:47AM
It's not just procreation. Some Roman Catholic theologians have decided that pleasure while having sex is wrong.
(Score: 1) by fustakrakich on Thursday August 06 2020, @07:56PM
The differences amongst the three parts are purely superficial. Symbiosis has always defined the relationship. It is single organism. Sorta like a jellyfish
La politica e i criminali sono la stessa cosa..
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Thursday August 06 2020, @08:17PM (1 child)
There are still countries where, to this day, sex between same sex consenting adults is considered a crime punishable by death. The same goes for sex between multiple partners, sex outside of wedlock, etc.
What's that you were saying about governments ?
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Thursday August 06 2020, @09:13PM
You are right, there are some, and I was aware of that.
I was thinking of heterosexual sex. And inside of marriage. I don't know of any governments against that sort of thing.
But yes, other things like sex outside of marriage, or same-sex, etc are prohibited by some governments. But I think it is a minority of governments. Although I'd be happy to be shown to be wrong on that.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 07 2020, @02:43AM (1 child)
As a kid, deeply steeped in Southern Baptist religion, I thought sex was wrong. Even thinking about a woman was wrong. Lust. Sin. No dancing. Leads to sin.
But the itching came anyway, and to avoid shame in the church and family, I did it in private... With other guys.
I liked it, and more important, everyone was happy.
I thought it was kids the church did not want, because we had nothing to put in the plate. And they made such a big deal out of that... They would pass it in public, in front of everybody, to shame those who failed to deposit, while any signs of affection were frowned on.
Even to this day, I see steeped hands under a forward tilted head to be a symbol of abstinence from sex and a call to put money in a passed plate, lest ye bring shame.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 07 2020, @05:18AM
In private it's the opposite - the money disappears and the cocks come out.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by hendrikboom on Friday August 07 2020, @03:19AM (1 child)
I've heard the Catharists considered all sex to be sin, even in marriage and for the purpose of procreation. The Catharists were proclaimed heretics by the Catholic Church.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 07 2020, @02:13PM
That is interesting. Thanks.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 3, Interesting) by Phoenix666 on Friday August 07 2020, @03:02PM (2 children)
The Shakers proscribed all sex. For some reason, they died out.
Washington DC delenda est.
(Score: 2) by DannyB on Friday August 07 2020, @03:34PM (1 child)
Interesting. Thanks.
It would have been more interesting if they had NOT died out, yet continued to preach that same message for many generations.
The lower I set my standards the more accomplishments I have.
(Score: 0) by Anonymous Coward on Friday August 07 2020, @06:34PM
They went on for a while.
They grew their numbers with evangelism and adoption.
You know, until they didn't.