" In this context of perpetual confusion, permanently swollen breast tissue might just be one more signal regarding fertility or infertility that has been “switched off”.
.......so...... keeping us (the guys) completely confused is a biological STRATEGY? And ya'all ain't concsciously messing with our heads just to be mean?
I think they make too much about the 'evolution' aspect of the fascination with bonding, mating, and social symbols. I think most of the fascination with large breasts is relatively recent, and came about since the risk of widespread starvation has been mostly conquered, in the last century or two. Certainly since the Victorian age invented the 'cover everything up to avoid the sin of thinking about sex' thing.
I was a regular at a nudist camp for a couple of years (my work moved me away). I think the most important thing I learned was to look for a smile, first. Maybe it's the 'eyes are the windows of the soul' thing, maybe it is simple social interaction. Since a person isn't diminished by a scar or wrinkle here or there, smooth skin or particular shapes don't make them 'better', either. I stll have the ad, "This weekend, come take off with a friend."
jimbob86, I think you got it backwards. Initially men (gentlemen's clubs?) elevated bawdy entertainment to fetishes on breasts.
Then women, trying to make ends meet, increase social status, and figure out what the *heck* the men were thinking, began dressing up, displaying, flashing, and trying to get us to notice the woman attached.
We made up the image. They are trying to figure out what to do with us.
It's not so much that I think we can directly blame natural selection for "Giant Bazooking Bazongas" videos with no size below triple G. You're right- that's pretty much all cultural.
It's more the existence of male attraction to swollen (in all other contexts in nature, an indicator that he shouldn't waste his time) teats to begin with that demands a biological explanation.
Hell, taking nature's Tinker Toys and running someplace wildly successful or wildly ridiculous or both is pretty much the entire human gimmick.
Much obliged for the linky love, Tam. Between you, SaysUncle, and Breda linking us, seeing the sitemeter spin like the electric meter at Christmas shook the cobwebs right out and scared me into finding something to post about. ;)
'Course we can't use the sitemeter trick for inspiration for a while now, but I'd call it a good trade.
I wondered, reading the post, how many laypeople went into it already knowing about Desmond Morris, and the aquatic ape hypothesis, and the hidden fertility shell game theory, and...
I wondered, reading the post, how many laypeople went into it already knowing about Desmond Morris, and the aquatic ape hypothesis, and the hidden fertility shell game theory, and...
These are things I never have a clue about and tend to worry about some, but I also suddenly understand why so many people have a cybercrush on you.
I wondered, reading the post, how many laypeople went into it already knowing about Desmond Morris, and the aquatic ape hypothesis, and the hidden fertility shell game theory, and...
Being long fascinated by all things evolutionary, I was familiar with all three. But the "let's pretend to be lactating all the time to get more food" variation was new to me. Interesting idea, too.
" In this context of perpetual confusion, permanently swollen breast tissue might just be one more signal regarding fertility or infertility that has been “switched off”.
ReplyDelete.......so...... keeping us (the guys) completely confused is a biological STRATEGY? And ya'all ain't concsciously messing with our heads just to be mean?
Wow.
ReplyDeleteI think they make too much about the 'evolution' aspect of the fascination with bonding, mating, and social symbols. I think most of the fascination with large breasts is relatively recent, and came about since the risk of widespread starvation has been mostly conquered, in the last century or two. Certainly since the Victorian age invented the 'cover everything up to avoid the sin of thinking about sex' thing.
I was a regular at a nudist camp for a couple of years (my work moved me away). I think the most important thing I learned was to look for a smile, first. Maybe it's the 'eyes are the windows of the soul' thing, maybe it is simple social interaction. Since a person isn't diminished by a scar or wrinkle here or there, smooth skin or particular shapes don't make them 'better', either. I stll have the ad, "This weekend, come take off with a friend."
jimbob86, I think you got it backwards. Initially men (gentlemen's clubs?) elevated bawdy entertainment to fetishes on breasts.
ReplyDeleteThen women, trying to make ends meet, increase social status, and figure out what the *heck* the men were thinking, began dressing up, displaying, flashing, and trying to get us to notice the woman attached.
We made up the image. They are trying to figure out what to do with us.
It's not so much that I think we can directly blame natural selection for "Giant Bazooking Bazongas" videos with no size below triple G. You're right- that's pretty much all cultural.
ReplyDeleteIt's more the existence of male attraction to swollen (in all other contexts in nature, an indicator that he shouldn't waste his time) teats to begin with that demands a biological explanation.
Hell, taking nature's Tinker Toys and running someplace wildly successful or wildly ridiculous or both is pretty much the entire human gimmick.
That's "sweater puppies". Big difference.
ReplyDeletePlus, I think some of the Hindus had a thing for big breasts, hundreds of years ago.
I am obviously not up on boobie jargon.
ReplyDeleteBrad K. said...
ReplyDeleteCertainly since the Victorian age invented the 'cover everything up to avoid the sin of thinking about sex' thing.
Might want to delve a little deeper into your Victorian fashion knowledge, especially seeing as how this is dealing with breasts.
Much obliged for the linky love, Tam. Between you, SaysUncle, and Breda linking us, seeing the sitemeter spin like the electric meter at Christmas shook the cobwebs right out and scared me into finding something to post about. ;)
ReplyDelete'Course we can't use the sitemeter trick for inspiration for a while now, but I'd call it a good trade.
I wondered, reading the post, how many laypeople went into it already knowing about Desmond Morris, and the aquatic ape hypothesis, and the hidden fertility shell game theory, and...
ReplyDeleteI wondered, reading the post, how many laypeople went into it already knowing about Desmond Morris, and the aquatic ape hypothesis, and the hidden fertility shell game theory, and...
ReplyDeleteThese are things I never have a clue about and tend to worry about some, but I also suddenly understand why so many people have a cybercrush on you.
Read Sarah Blaffer-Hrdy y/n?
Sadly, I'm only familiar with her via footnotes in other work, like the books of everybody's favorite birdwatcher-turned-sociologist, Jared Diamond.
ReplyDeleteI wondered, reading the post, how many laypeople went into it already knowing about Desmond Morris, and the aquatic ape hypothesis, and the hidden fertility shell game theory, and...
ReplyDeleteBeing long fascinated by all things evolutionary, I was familiar with all three. But the "let's pretend to be lactating all the time to get more food" variation was new to me. Interesting idea, too.