Bigthink - Idea Comments Feed

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Sat, 05 Jul 2008 16:19:56 +0100

I believe the problem is that sex has the potential to cause major societal issues such as unwanted pregnancies and and the spread of disease. We're all gonna do it so we need to find a way to do it that will be both satisfying for us and for society. It's called being responsible. We are social creatures so we need to act responsibly both towards ourselves and toward society.

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 13:01:31 +0100

grahamwright

You are corect the purpouse of sex is procreation. But pleasure and fulfillmenet are biproducts. It is there to motivate us to have sex. As far as to when it evolved i dont see how that relates, but im sure that 3 billion is way too long ago, i think all that was around at this time was primitive bacteria and algea.

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Wed, 12 Mar 2008 08:18:15 +0100

The question as to why it is controversial has little to do with either the biological function or the metaphysical connections alone. The conflict is then established by social mythos' and the fact that human society and culture are not one homogeneous entity. If there truly was an innate and ultimate truth to sex and any true purpose it may have we wouldn't be having this discussion. As the needs of society have been fulfilled, beginning initially with survival, analysis and attachment of meaning to our everyday lives has brought into question, that beyond propagation of the human organism can this act serve more than this one purpose (regardless of greater or lesser, simply another)?

Because there is a multitude of views archaic, nihilistic, liberal or otherwise conflict will arise when any one view believes that it is truth above all others. In addition, any establishment of righteousness or virtue to any claim as a means to decide for another individual what is right in their life can only result in conflict.

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Tue, 11 Mar 2008 21:11:26 +0100

What unmitigited claptrap. Sex is for the procreation of children and nothing else. It can not possibly have any other function It evolved 3 billion years ago. What for? So, humans (3 billion years later) can derive endless pleasure and fulfilment from it and employ it as a "sign of love"? Oh, please.

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:25:15 +0100

Sex, although pleasureful in the moment, can have long-lasting consequences. Sex produces children, which brings about incredible responsibility for the parents and society, especially the mother. One easy way to then manage this outcome on some level is to apply moral and ethical standards to the behavior that produces it. For biological and social reasons the mother of the child is the most immediate caregiver, so the majority of the morality of the issue is also placed on her.

Most of our moral standards and social rituals I believe have biological origins. Marriage is a way to ensure that children produced have two parents to support them in their survival and development. Women especially are told to not be sexually active outside of marriage because if they become pregnant, larger society then has to step in to support her in some fashion if the father doesn't, or the chances for survival are much smaller. Promiscuity among women has been especially looked down upon because multiple partners means that in the case of pregnancy, it is unclear who the father is. It makes things very confusing for a community to figure out who should be taking care of who if paternity is unknown. It also takes some power away from men in general if they are always left uncertain as to who their offspring are (who will carry on their lineage; who will take care of them when they are older?). In pre-modern times when physical survival was much more difficult, it actually paid to have children as a long term investment in terms of labor and creating a next generation to take care of the elderly population. Moral control over sex, then, allowed society a way to control its own well being in some fashion beyond being at the mercy of larger natural forces.

Now that we have way more options for birth control, we have been able to loosen up some of our moral arguments against having sex outside of wedlock.

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Mon, 10 Mar 2008 18:24:54 +0100

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 02:07:07 +0100

I don't believe it's sex that causes controversy. It's what constitutes healthy and unhealthy sex that causes the controversy. Like food, sex is beneficial when enjoyed within healthy limitations. Just as we are still learning the health effects of what we eat, we are also learning the health effects of our sexual conduct. Meanwhile, we pay the price for our ignorance or reap the benefits of wise choices.

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Fri, 07 Mar 2008 01:34:41 +0100

Because anyone who grew up in a Judeo-Christian society (like America) is taught that nudity and lust are shameful. Here is the story of original sin from the Bible:

"And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat.

And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.

And they heard the voice of the LORD God walking in the garden in the cool of the day: and Adam and his wife hid themselves from the presence of the LORD God amongst the trees of the garden.

And the LORD God called unto Adam, and said unto him, Where art thou?

And he said, I heard thy voice in the garden, and I was afraid, because I was naked; and I hid myself."

Most cultures that did not grow up with that same story have a totally different view of sex.

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 18:45:27 +0100

"If you truly love someone, there is no greater feeling than having sex with them, it's a pretty universal human experience."
I disagree. Many, many people have sex with no thought to whether or not they love their partners. One night stands? Prostitution? Doesn't this indicate a more biological imperative than an emotional one?

"So why do people insist that it's sinful?"
Because sexual gratification is "base" like gluttony or sloth. The easiest way to gain members in a religion is to breed them. Conversion's much more difficult, especially in the Information Age.

"So why does a sensually stimulating activity that often results in true feelings of happiness generate so much conflict?"
Or it can be the source of anxiety, hatred, and angst. Sexual violence and molestation, for example. Do these acts result in true feelings of happiness?
"That's the secular question. For the religious, I'll take this a step further - Why would God want to deprive us of this happiness if he loves us?"
That depends on your interpretation of the Bible. The answer could go either way. I'd simply point out the oft overlooked book "Song of Solomon" (KJV) which, in essence, is Biblical porn. ;)

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Sun, 02 Mar 2008 16:03:33 +0100

I think the modern aversion to sex may come from some of the instinctual feelings it can create. I think we are very driven to have sex so it can seem like something that wants to take over our lives. I think also feelings of jealousy can arise because of sex.

These are things we can and should overcome though, but I think sex is thought as sinful because the elder men of ancient times who couldn't have it anymore were jealous ;-).

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 06:29:50 +0100

You can refuse to wach news but you cant isolate yourself from society. Which means that there is no way to trully filter out all the conditioning and propaganda. The best thing to do i would say is be critical, be objective, dont quikly jump on the things you agree with as being valid, and those you disagree with as being invalid. Do your research. Keep a clear head and try not to think of things as good, or bad. Basically be skeptical of everything you see.

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Tue, 12 Feb 2008 01:39:55 +0100

Because we have been programed to think its controversial! Everything you know and think has been programmed into you through the media. The bilderberger group along with the trilateral commision believe the perfect world population is 500,000,000 its Writen in stone right outside their building. There is a WAR on for your mind! Break away from AlL the you know now, and disociate yourself from ALL news stations. (other thant C-SPAN in congress and hearings) Unfiltered news is the only way to go. You have been conditioned to feel embarased about sex. They controll everything you think... If you controll language you controll the quality of thought, and if you can do that you can program what people think. Its as simple as that. Let me give you an example

1918 WWI: Shell Shock (2 sylables)
1940 WWII: Battle Fatigue (4 sylables)
1950s-80s (Korea): Opperational exaustion (8)(sounds like something that happens to you car btw)
2000: Post-traumatic stress disorder (8 sylables AND a hyphon!!!! WOW

WAKE UP AMERICA

google video ENDGAME alex Jones
but the rabit hole goes even deeper

David Ike tracks more of teh core of the issue

The west has been steered into the same directon for the last 3 milenia.

I declare the USA an undeveloped nation(moraly)!!!!!!!!!

Comment on: Why is sex so controversial?

Bigthink — Thu, 07 Feb 2008 04:56:10 +0100

It is an interesting question. Freud would say that alot of our psychological problems come from out instnct (id) strugling with the superego (cultural norms, taboos), and sex is a large aspect of this strugle. So what is it that makes cultures around the world so prone to viewing sex as a "nessisary evil" or atleast something unmentionable and seting these cultural norms.

It is dificult to say. i would assume it has something to do with the level of intimacy acheived during sex, and it would seem something about it makes us uncomfortable.