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In Jewish Kibbutzim, communal communities where unrelated children were raised together from birth, it was noted by observers that the children, when they grew up, very seldom married each other, even though it was never discouraged in any way. Apparently, they subconsciously thought of themselves as brothers and sisters and were seldom attracted to each other in that way.
Look at the ancient Egyptian monarchy. A lot of them married a sibling and it caused health issues. Some of King Tut's health problems were attributed to the fact he was the product of a brother/sister marriage. https://www.ancient-origins.net/news...-003045http://
I've personally never been attracted to a relative.
Those effects/results, if true and accurate, don't make any so-called "repulsion" biological. But rather knowledge of them is what generates the cultural restraint.
This has been studied, and there is some empirical evidence for reverse sexual imprinting. It's learned behavior, but might be based on instinctive tendencies.
I've wondered whether people are not attracted to parents and siblings (because cousin incest is actually accepted in many parts of the world and less genetically "harmful") due to mostly biological ingraining or social ones.
The Westermarck Effect would point to it being mostly cultural i.e. the people you grow up with and live with cause your brain to desensitize any sexual feelings. This might explain why adopted children of women who are very young and attractive still don't find them arousing even though there's no basis for incest repulsion.
Similarly, genetic brothers/sisters who are separated at birth in foster homes sometimes meet later and fall in love (there was a case about that).
But what do you think? Are you attracted to any family members?
I'm not attracted to any of my family members. It may be a social construct, but given the biological risks, I'd be inclined to say that biology plays a large part in it.
Those effects/results, if true and accurate, don't make any so-called "repulsion" biological. But rather knowledge of them is what generates the cultural restraint.
Both of those examples seem to be pretty well documented so I'm not sure why they wouldn't be true. But you're right in that those effects are biological so it's probably more accurate to say that the awareness of the biological effects create the repulsion or restraint.
Both of those examples seem to be pretty well documented so I'm not sure why they wouldn't be true. But you're right in that those effects are biological so it's probably more accurate to say that the awareness of the biological effects create the repulsion or restraint.
That's the explanation I lean heavily toward, especially considering that lots of people are or have been attracted to family members. Most don't act on it because of the taboo.
And then there's the question of how exactly would a biological or instinctive "repulsion" be put in place - scientifically, technically. I don't think there is one. I've never felt a repulsion....and I don't know why I would be so different in that respect.
I can't imagine being attracted to any of my brothers. That is just not something I'd ever think about because it repulses me.
If I was attracted to a cousin I didn't know well when I was younger, maybe once I was older. It didn't happen but I don't see why it would be taboo if you don't have children together.
I wonder which eagle-eyed tribe member started keeping track of offspring between close relatives and noticed that very close relatives children manifested more birth defects, and then the tribe adopted taboos/laws against sibling/cousin/parental liasons.
Having healthy children was important to tribe strength and survival.
Now here's the Bible question that always starts fights: Cain obviously must have had children with his sister(s) and those children must have had children with each other. At what point was this declared against God's law? In non-Eve and Adam reality when did proto-humans stop incestuous breeding? Do animals breed with siblings? Seems like it in my observations.
Yes, animals other than humans breed with siblings and/or parents.
I think that makes a strong case for the taboo to be cultural rather than biological.
It was acceptable for first cousins to marry through at least the Victorian era, so that's a relatively recent taboo.
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