The Big [Censored] Theory

Universal, cross-cultural taboos haven't generally adjusted to the last 60 or so years of innovation in birth control. The realities that gave rise to them are ever present in an agrarian, low-tech economy.

(not just human) Males need to be sure of paternity. Males who don't mind whose children they are raising aren't well selected for. This should be apparent to anyone who has ever watched a nature documentary. Humans are simply not that different.

I tend to disregard this "common sense" pop culture knowledge, because it's one of those things people say without evidence, and which often tend to be wrong.

I would love to see someone explain the link between taboos about sex and male paternity claims, but so far I see not a single (even dubious) reference from subject matter experts, so I will continue being skeptical about this claim.

"It's obvious!" doesn't convince me.

If I were a man in power and i wanted to protect myself from investing effort into raising children that don't carry my genes, I'd definitely try to establish a taboo around women having sex with multiple partners. And maybe it's possible that if you don't also have taboos around even talking about sex, then the former taboos wouldn't be sustainable. But it seems just as likely that a society that talks freely and openly about sex would be one in which paternity would be easier to establish, because it would be common knowledge which sexual partners a woman claiming to carry your child had.

It seems like it should be a topic covered by Diamond's "Why is sex fun" but I can't remember an exact section devoted to taboos (nothing in the index etc.).