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Is staring at tits sexist, or is it just a result of human evolution that affects us all, regardless of how sensitive we are to gender equality issues? https:/

by jerrya 13y ago

Is staring at tits sexist, or is it just a result of human evolution that affects us all, regardless of how sensitive we are to gender equality issues? https://www.google.com/search?q=hillary+staring+at+christina https://www.google.com/search?q=hillary+staring+at+christina https://www.google.com/search?q=sophia+loren+staring+at+jayne+mansfield https://www.google.com/search?q=sophia+loren+staring+at+jayn...

pjc50 13y ago
Why can't it be both?
- jerrya 13y ago
  If it happens to be a result of evolution, and I am not biologist, but if there are biological, evolutionary reasons for it, either because it helped program babies nursing, or because it was a replacement signal for buttocks when humans began to walk on two feet, then why call it the act of staring at breasts sexist? It would be like saying a buffer overflow is sexist, or ctrl-alt-delete is sexist. And calling the act sexist would serve to shame an activity that we all engage in due to primary biological programming. Compare it to the discouragement we have to "slut shaming". If tit staring is basic human programming, something wired in to our brains, what are the benefits of shaming that activity? And if it is just an neurological tick we all have, is it accurate to call it a sexist behavior that presumably men and women can be weaned off of?
  - deleted 13y ago
    [deleted]
  - glesica 13y ago
    We are not evolutionary automatons, we can override our programming at will. If something that served an evolutionary purpose a million years ago is no longer an appropriate behavior in our complex, modern society, then we simple don't do it any more. I occasionally feel compelled to beat the living shit out of someone. This is probably an evolutionary impulse. Those who cross me in the jungle must be eliminated before they eliminate me, etc. But do I go around beating the hell out of people? Not a chance, absolutely never. Why? Because I don't want to live in a society where people solve differences with violence, and I don't feel violence on my part is necessary. That being said, I definitely "notice" attractive individuals of the opposite sex. I don't harass, stalk, or assault them in any way, but I do notice them. I don't believe this is sexist. However, going up on a stage in front of people and making a joke about "staring at tits" might very well be construed as sexist because it goes well beyond the act of "noticing", and involves a mixed audience who may not all appreciate the concept.
    - jerrya 13y ago
      I haven't said anything about whether the demo was appropriate or not. Just the behavior. If it's an unconscious tick over and done with, much like a blink of an eye than it's not comparable to your beating someone up which would take this hypothetical compulsion of yours and render it into an act spanning minutes. "We are not evolutionary automatons, we can override our programming at will." Let me know how successful you are to not blinking, or not having goosebumps, or not feeling ticklish, not having a reflex, not being averse to certain odors, ...
      - glesica 13y ago
        As I said, there is nothing offensive about noticing an attractive woman, I even admitted to doing it myself. But that doesn't, in any way, excuse the behaviour that motivated this discussion. That's my point. Even your bringing it up just distracts from the real issues, which are sexism, acceptance of potentially offensive actions, and the casual attitude with which those things are treated.
foolrush 13y ago
Overused and misused babble science theory. Humans are emergent species. Even optical illusions, despite being used as evidence of ‘hard wiring’, have been further studied to be learned and emergent phenomena[1]. [1] EG: The Influence of Culture on Visual Perception, MH Segall, DT Campbell, MJ Herskovits - 1966
- jerrya 13y ago
  That culture influences visual perception does not seem to preclude other evolutionary or biological influences on visual perception. I don't have the reference you provide, maybe you can tell me if that reference or others you have preclude evolutionary or biological influences on visual perception? And even agreeing, okay, tit staring is a culturally influenced, a social construction, so what? You still don't describe how that makes it sexist and so should be shamed, especially in light of evidence that it affects both men and women. Why are natural harmless instinctual reproductive behaviors that the culture associates with males worthy of shame?
Ilmesnkie_Jones 13y ago
Its sexist and you're a grownup, presumably, who can control his reactions.
sedna 13y ago
Sexist. Next question?

by jerrya 13y ago

pjc50 13y ago

Why can't it be both?

jerrya 13y ago
If it happens to be a result of evolution, and I am not biologist, but if there are biological, evolutionary reasons for it, either because it helped program babies nursing, or because it was a replacement signal for buttocks when humans began to walk on two feet, then why call it the act of staring at breasts sexist? It would be like saying a buffer overflow is sexist, or ctrl-alt-delete is sexist. And calling the act sexist would serve to shame an activity that we all engage in due to primary biological programming. Compare it to the discouragement we have to "slut shaming". If tit staring is basic human programming, something wired in to our brains, what are the benefits of shaming that activity? And if it is just an neurological tick we all have, is it accurate to call it a sexist behavior that presumably men and women can be weaned off of?
- deleted 13y ago
  [deleted]
- glesica 13y ago
  We are not evolutionary automatons, we can override our programming at will. If something that served an evolutionary purpose a million years ago is no longer an appropriate behavior in our complex, modern society, then we simple don't do it any more. I occasionally feel compelled to beat the living shit out of someone. This is probably an evolutionary impulse. Those who cross me in the jungle must be eliminated before they eliminate me, etc. But do I go around beating the hell out of people? Not a chance, absolutely never. Why? Because I don't want to live in a society where people solve differences with violence, and I don't feel violence on my part is necessary. That being said, I definitely "notice" attractive individuals of the opposite sex. I don't harass, stalk, or assault them in any way, but I do notice them. I don't believe this is sexist. However, going up on a stage in front of people and making a joke about "staring at tits" might very well be construed as sexist because it goes well beyond the act of "noticing", and involves a mixed audience who may not all appreciate the concept.
  - jerrya 13y ago
    I haven't said anything about whether the demo was appropriate or not. Just the behavior. If it's an unconscious tick over and done with, much like a blink of an eye than it's not comparable to your beating someone up which would take this hypothetical compulsion of yours and render it into an act spanning minutes. "We are not evolutionary automatons, we can override our programming at will." Let me know how successful you are to not blinking, or not having goosebumps, or not feeling ticklish, not having a reflex, not being averse to certain odors, ...
    - glesica 13y ago
      As I said, there is nothing offensive about noticing an attractive woman, I even admitted to doing it myself. But that doesn't, in any way, excuse the behaviour that motivated this discussion. That's my point. Even your bringing it up just distracts from the real issues, which are sexism, acceptance of potentially offensive actions, and the casual attitude with which those things are treated.

foolrush 13y ago

Overused and misused babble science theory. Humans are emergent species. Even optical illusions, despite being used as evidence of ‘hard wiring’, have been further studied to be learned and emergent phenomena[1]. [1] EG: The Influence of Culture on Visual Perception, MH Segall, DT Campbell, MJ Herskovits - 1966

jerrya 13y ago
That culture influences visual perception does not seem to preclude other evolutionary or biological influences on visual perception. I don't have the reference you provide, maybe you can tell me if that reference or others you have preclude evolutionary or biological influences on visual perception? And even agreeing, okay, tit staring is a culturally influenced, a social construction, so what? You still don't describe how that makes it sexist and so should be shamed, especially in light of evidence that it affects both men and women. Why are natural harmless instinctual reproductive behaviors that the culture associates with males worthy of shame?

Ilmesnkie_Jones 13y ago

Its sexist and you're a grownup, presumably, who can control his reactions.

sedna 13y ago

Sexist. Next question?