Why is masturbation such a taboo topic?

[hadespussercats]

There are perfectly good evolutionary reasons why we are reticent about sex, and instinctively keep it private.

Human infants are big, heavy, helpless and vulnerable, for the longest period of any species. They're a big investment for both sexes.

The male does not want to spend his life defending and providing for the young of another male.

And the female doesn't want to give away her sexual favours, without commitment from the male, to stick around, and defend and provide for her children.

Obviously, it's in the interests of both parties to cheat a bit. To attempt to have your cake, and eat it. But the instincts are to make sure that your partner remains committed.

Having sex in public is likely to invite interference from bystanders. A male would not like a bigger, stronger male to get interested enough to decide to take over.
And a female would rather other females didn't get to like the way her mate was performing, and to fancy some, when they got the chance.

So we evolved a need for privacy, to strengthen this system of one-man-one-woman bonding that served us so well.

Well, that's a good story.

[rasetsu]

You left out the bit about 'jealousy' and 'hell hath no fury...

[FBM]

I once witnessed a young girl, maybe 3 or so, masturbating in public at a train station in, IRRC, Butterworth, Malaysia. Apparently, she was relieving the stress caused by her older sister taking away her 2-litre bottle of Coke. Seems to me that shame at masturbation is a learned behavior, not an inborn one.

[mistermack]

I once witnessed a young girl, maybe 3 or so, masturbating in public at a train station in, IRRC, Butterworth, Malaysia. Apparently, she was relieving the stress caused by her older sister taking away her 2-litre bottle of Coke. Seems to me that shame at masturbation is a learned behavior, not an inborn one.

It must run in the family.

You have to be a wanker, to give coke to a three year old.

[mistermack]

You left out the bit about 'jealousy' and 'hell hath no fury...

I did. But it's all part of the same process.

[FBM]

I once witnessed a young girl, maybe 3 or so, masturbating in public at a train station in, IRRC, Butterworth, Malaysia. Apparently, she was relieving the stress caused by her older sister taking away her 2-litre bottle of Coke. Seems to me that shame at masturbation is a learned behavior, not an inborn one.

It must run in the family.

You have to be a wanker, to give coke to a three year old.

Well, they were English, judging by their accents. Or perhaps Aussie. Not that there's much difference.

[Drewish]

It's taboo when you're a teenager, I suppose, due in great part to sexually repressive xtian brainwashing, but I understand it's not such a big deal over here in East Asia.

Pre-internet, left hand, magazine, right hand to polish the knob. Post-internet, right hand on mouse, left hand on knob. I'm soon to be 50. No shame in this game.

This demands a poll!

[Hermit]

There is only one thing worse than pop-psychology and that is evolutionary psychology.

[mistermack]

There is only one thing worse than pop-psychology and that is evolutionary psychology.

Behavior and psychology are different things.

A huge amount of our behavior is inherited. Such as eating and breathing, pissing, shitting, shagging and wanking.
Like it or not, that's a fact.

[Elessarina]

Masturbation is a very touchy subject...

It gives me a buzz

[mistermack]

I once witnessed a young girl, maybe 3 or so, masturbating in public at a train station in, IRRC, Butterworth, Malaysia. Apparently, she was relieving the stress caused by her older sister taking away her 2-litre bottle of Coke. Seems to me that shame at masturbation is a learned behavior, not an inborn one.

It must run in the family.

You have to be a wanker, to give coke to a three year old.

Well, they were English, judging by their accents. Or perhaps Aussie. Not that there's much difference.

Plenty of wankers everywhere.

[PsychoSerenity]

There is only one thing worse than pop-psychology and that is evolutionary psychology.

Behavior and psychology are different things.

A huge amount of our behavior is inherited. Such as eating and breathing, pissing, shitting, shagging and wanking.
Like it or not, that's a fact.

Yeah but Just So Stories are not.

[rachelbean]

There are perfectly good evolutionary reasons why we are reticent about sex, and instinctively keep it private.

Human infants are big, heavy, helpless and vulnerable, for the longest period of any species. They're a big investment for both sexes.

The male does not want to spend his life defending and providing for the young of another male.

And the female doesn't want to give away her sexual favours, without commitment from the male, to stick around, and defend and provide for her children.

Obviously, it's in the interests of both parties to cheat a bit. To attempt to have your cake, and eat it. But the instincts are to make sure that your partner remains committed.

Having sex in public is likely to invite interference from bystanders. A male would not like a bigger, stronger male to get interested enough to decide to take over.
And a female would rather other females didn't get to like the way her mate was performing, and to fancy some, when they got the chance.

So we evolved a need for privacy, to strengthen this system of one-man-one-woman bonding that served us so well.

This may explain why people in general don't have public sex, but If this had any bearing on why we don't talk about masturbation, then people wouldn't talk about sex in general, and we know that's not true.

[tattuchu]

It's taboo when you're a teenager, I suppose, due in great part to sexually repressive xtian brainwashing, but I understand it's not such a big deal over here in East Asia.

Pre-internet, left hand, magazine, right hand to polish the knob. Post-internet, right hand on mouse, left hand on knob. I'm soon to be 50. No shame in this game.

This demands a poll!

This demands a pole!

[rasetsu]

Adds a whole new meaning to the term "exit polling."