🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <325F2FB9.F10@novell.uidaho.edu>,
Jim  <leav0528@novell.uidaho.edu> wrote:

[in the discussion about breastfeeding...]

>We all know that showing ones breasts in a public place to entice sexual 
>behavior or even invite intercourse should not be permitted.  

It shouldn't? Why not, exactly? 

I find that statement interesting.  This thread is mostly about
the exagerration of sexual mores; in this case, the exposure of
a breast (which has the original function of feeding) being
considered bad under any circumstances. 

So why *exactly* is sex something to be kept away from others eyes?
Mind you, I am very private about my sex life as well, but that
I believe is due to social upbringing more than any instinct I 
might have. Certainly a lot of species take care of the procreative
act where anyone can see. I have heard many theories about the evolution
of sex (do it privately because you are vunerable during that time
to preadtion, etc) but I find it difficult (though not impossible)
to believe that is still so strongly influencing our behavior.

[...]

>Perhaps it is these exagerated ideas that have taken us as a nation to 
>the panic extreme of a tunnel, rather than stopping to examine what is 
>occuring outside the tunnel.
>
>Jim - a person disenchanted with those who would exagerate problems to 
>serve their own personal agenda - rather than the agenda for the whole 
>community.

I propose to you that there is an even greater picture here, and that 
is our views of sex and child-raising in general. I have been reading
and occasionally contributing to this thread with great interest.

-- 
* Phil Plait, Pee Aytch Dee       pcp2g@virginia.edu 
* "Twinkies are not sentient in any way we can understand."
* My home page-- http://www.astro.virginia.edu/~pcp2g/home.html
*      -->  Humor, supernovae, Bad Science, and my daughter Zoe.