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The Big [Censored] Theory

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1444 points feross | 1 comments | 29 Aug 22 17:34 UTC | HN request time: 0.225s | source
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wizofaus ◴[29 Aug 22 19:38 UTC] No.32642548[source]▶
Is aversion to discussion of sex a part of traditional Chinese culture? Seems odd given I'm not aware of any puritanical religions taking hold there.
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alldayeveryday ◴[29 Aug 22 19:42 UTC] No.32642602[source]▶
Why would a culture require a puritanical religions to have an aversion to discussion of sex? And do you consider an aversion to discussion of sex to be default lacking or present in a population?
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wizofaus ◴[29 Aug 22 20:06 UTC] No.32642891[source]▶
Because why else would such an aversion arise? I don't think there are any sensible "defaults" for human cultures. But I wouldn't expect aversion to talking any sex to arise spontaneously among a population that hadn't had it imposed by prior generations or from outside. We're naturally curious beings and have lots of sex (compared to other species).
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nineplay ◴[29 Aug 22 20:55 UTC] No.32643439[source]▶
Talking about sex is taboo because having sex is taboo. Having sex is taboo because if women have sex with more than one man, none of men can be sure whose child she is carrying.

Men, in general, really like having their genes carried on. Men, in general, really hate wondering if a child is theirs or not.

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1. SanderNL ◴[30 Aug 22 08:20 UTC] No.32647942[source]▶
I am no psychologist and as such have no idea what I am saying, but we're on a discussion forum so yeah. Something tells me sex is taboo because of some very fundamental psychological dissonance.

Sex by its nature completely shatters any notion we have of being civilized, rational actors made of pure white spiritual light. Alas, it shows us as sweaty, ape-like animals needing, nay, wanting to exchange fluids to produce our offspring. Nothing about it is pure and orderly and it is completely at odds with common mental strategies handling our issues with mortality. Being made of divine spiritual energy is quite at odds with the actual reality of it all.

Oh yeah, that and it being a means of production: it makes workers. Which is to be controlled at all times. But that alone does not explain why this taboo is also common in other type of societies.