"Variety is the soul of pleasure." ~ Aphra Behn
Incest is naturally repulsive because humans have MHC genes. MHC "controls how the immune system recognizes and fights off microscopic foreign invaders such as viruses, fungi and bacteria." [source] It is also responsible for mate selection. When you perspire, your MHCs mix up with the bacteria and fungi, creating your individual bodily odor.
Similar MHCs create similar bodily odors, and vice a versa. Now here’s the golden nugget: Studies suggest that people are more attracted to people who smell more different than themselves. This explains why siblings or parents and their children, sharing plenty of similar MHCs, do not get sexually attracted to each other, and why interracial couplings can be so sexy.
Now, in the case of the xenophobic picky endogamous Saudis that SaudiJeans and Precognitive were referring to here and here, we’re looking at examples of people who LOOK LIKE they’re pulling the plug on themselves in the genetic survival pool. Discovery Channel calls it a genetic time bomb for good reasons: when people of the same genetic pool mate and reproduce, they “are 13 times more likely than the general population to produce children with genetic disorders” [source].
Not to mention a marriage with plenty of sexual disinterest towards his odorly-similar wife (unless, of course, the wife is not his main source of sexual satisfaction -- and that’s beside the point).
Here’s where I’ve been holding myself to say and delightedly failed to do so. If endogamous folks are more comfortable fishing in their own genetic pools, does it also mean that out there they would not make it far? Does it also mean that the rest of us are safer from being genetically crossed with their stupid elitist ideas of survival?
If so, I think we still got the better end of the deal, so far.
Thought it’s been a while since the last time I flexed THAT muscle.
16 afterthinkers:
We are safe darling, and we did get the better end of the bargain. i like being more genetically intact.
Was at a far cousin-by-marriage's wedding once, Yemeni folk, nice people and all but would never consider marrying someone who doesn't look like them, aka. not 7a9'rami. When i finally saw the bride i realized that she looks identical to the boy's auntie. Explains why they always thought i was ugly.
In my place cousin to cousin unions aren't unusual, but thank goodness, my father doesn't relish the idea, because he personally doesn't see his nephews as sons-in-laws and he married outside the family. In fact,modernity, an increase in social and individual freedoms and sometimes practicality has made it necessary for a multitude to look beyond the family circle for a mate.
As for genetic disasters, more women here are now afraid that their children will get a harelip or will be retarded, hehehe, so they tend to look elsewhere for hubbies.
I don't mind being a mixed blooded person myself. It's opened more doors to me socially and professionally in the mainstream society, something that I wouldn't have if I were full-blooded.
I'm a hybrid and I'm proud. =]
But seriously people should stop the madness and marrying inside their families. Cuz the consequences are HORRIFIC! The Badu kids I see at the hospital with genetic diseases just break my heart. And to know that it was preventable makes it even worse.
Soumz, you couldn't be ugly if you tried. But, yeah, you don't look very hadhrami indeed.
Coral, aren't you glad your dad's looking elsewhere for prospects. So, have you found any to trigger ululations? ^_^
Dr.SmartCookie, (oh what a cute nickname!) Hybrids are cute! What are you?
Btw, isn't there some sort of social campaign against endogamous marriages around where you live?
Hahaha better end of the deal, thank god.
No wonder I got my eye on this sexy multi-racial guy who smells damn fine, too. It's science!
I'd hate to take a Darwinian approach to this, but given enough time, wouldn't those that are open to pairing with those outside there own genetic pools form a stronger genetic line?
No need to be incredulous about it, just wait and watch our kids kick their kids' genetic asses :P
I think cousin marriage is not ONLY a biological (or scientific) issue; it’s also (or even mostly) social and political one. It has different meanings in different contexts. In old time Europe marriage between cousins considered good thing and associated with the aristocracy and upper middle class. It also preferred in other societies like among Maduranese (in Indonesia) or Saudis—mainly through arranged marriages, sometimes even “forced marriages”. But the opposite is now happening in the US and modern Europe. It is considered a taboo, socially illegitimate, even legally prohibited (as in some states in US).
May be it’s true that the main reasons behind arranged (or even “socially” forced) marriages between cousins (or close relatives) are irrational xenophobia, narrow-minded tribalism, or arrogant obsession with blood purity. On the other side, the ban against cousin marriage usually finds support from scientific claims (more specifically evolutionary biology and genetics—the funny thing is Darwin, the father of evolution, himself married his cousin). But we must take these claims with great care.
Scientifically speaking, existing evidences only show that married cousins have 2% higher risk of producing genetically defected child than average couples (which is 3%), the same figure as women giving birth over 40 [see here and here]. Of course, the additional 2% is real threat, but here we talk about STATISTICAL risk.
Personally, I am not for or against cousin marriage per se. We must see it in proper context and proportion. IMHO, the most important thing is the freedom of choice. Just let those cousins choose for themselves whether they will marry each other or not. If they do, they can take a genetic test to check whether they are carriers of bad genes. [see here] If it turn out that they are not, so what’s wrong with their marriage? Matters become more complicated if they are carriers, because it concerns future human being.
Finally, I do agree with Professor Spencer, evolutionary biologist, who said: “Ultimately it’s a political question about what you allow individuals to do, and what that says about the structure of society” [above link].
btw, prefer the old theme, more wide, simple, and white :)
Alia, my dad's giving his daughters free choice. We know his standards, he knows ours. Happily they're similar.
Since you asked, I'm Turkish, Uyghur and Iraqi. And I look Latino. LOL.
I thought that premarital testing is compulsory in Saudi, but seeing a lot of cases of thalassemia, which is an inherited blood disease.Plus the fact that last year 4th year medical students launched a campaign encouraging people to take the test, left me in doubt so I don't know. :/
Since smart cookie revealed his ethnicity, so will I: I'm a mix of Malay, Indian, and Chinese.
@Diana,
You want more scientific excuses? Check this out for more on the thing that started this post.
@NidalM,
I think that endogamous groups are shrinking. So, as long that you're not Hadhrami, Amish, Mormon, Maduranese or some other sect, I can safely assume that you and your kids are prone to have genetically gifted asses!
@I.A.,
I disagree with the main reason behind marriages, arranged or not, it's always about the thing that makes the world running and it rhymes with Ka-Ching.
Thank you for the informative input on the subject. And the emphasis on Freewill, which sums up everything that people are standing up and sitting down for.
PS: I am BORED of my plain, wide and white theme. Reminds me too much of MYSELF.
@Coral,
Bless your daddy for all the genes that he shared with your mama to make you looks so pretty!
PS: I think that Cookie is a girl.
@Cookie,
Besides, medical prechecks stand for nothing much when compared to traditional values in choosing a mate.
PS: I had to wiki "Uyghur", suddenly wasn't so sure what that looks like. Then I found out, and went "ohmy, pretty!".
I do agree partially with some things you said, but your grammar is so repulsively incorrect. Reading this post made me cringe,honestly. You make so many logical fallacies like "studies show" and ambiguous cases like "out there" the general reader would have to make assumptions to make sense of your incoherent ramblings. Stop posting or finish school.
I like you too, Poot. (¬‿¬)
and what about Freud then? How could you forget HIM? we're not simple creatures...it aint always bout the calculations of risks and all that, sometimes its what people want, what society accepts and our own comfort zones....
in an "islamic" context: if it aint haraam, its halal! so dont wanna divulge too much calculation into it....life will bring with it hardships in one form or the other, your kids not retarded? maybe he'll be hit by a bus
go figure.
Oh, I'm glad you've gotten it all figured out, SarmadR. GOOD FOR YOU!!
And since you mentioned it, in Islam, it's not only halal-haram. There's wajib, mustahab, makruh, batil, mubah, and fasiq. Oh, and BY THE WAY, in the case of marriage, there are times when marriage can be Haram, mustahab, wajib and makruh.
Oh, and Rasulullah did advise against marriage within close relationships: "اغتربوا لا تضووا".
Do you have any idea who Frued is?
people are more attracted to people who smell more different than themselves?
Hmmm,so the more different my partner is from me, the better it is?
Hmmm,I plan to marry an alien from a galaxy billions light years from this planet. Perhaps she (or he? or hermaphrodite?,ughh I don't mind)..
But wait...is alien a person? Gosh...I'm totally derailed
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