Why is sex fun?

The famous words of Billy Crystal are, "Women need a reason to have sex." Men only require a location.

Why Does Sexual Activity Feel Good? is a playful investigation of human sexuality that examines marriage, power, sex life, monogamous relationships, and the body. Scientist Jared Diamond demonstrates that sex is about more than just having children and having fun.

The popular science book by Jared Diamond takes an interdisciplinary approach to sexuality by examining evolution and the emergence of the human species. It is demonstrated to us how heredity and our decisions have shaped our attitudes around sex and sexuality by viewing sex as a collection of activities specific to humans.

We'll take a quick look at the main concepts in the book and learn why having sex is enjoyable.

Within Closed Doors

1990 saw the release of the hit song Let's Talk About Sex by Salt-N-Peppa. With their song, they laid down the challenge, declaring, "It keeps coming up anyhow." Don't skirt around, downplay, or ignore the subject. Because that won't put an end to it.

History reveals numerous tribes and societies where discussing sex was frowned upon and prohibited.

For example, sex was only considered appropriate for procreation and should be kept behind closed doors in Victorian England. More vigorous sexual activities were frowned upon by women, who were told that doing so put them at risk of stroke and that no delicate woman of good standing could survive it.

And there were other supposed risks to take into account, such vision and madness. While there is no doubt that the Victorians had a sensible view of sex and sexuality, the notion that they covered every table leg to prevent unclean thoughts is crazy. Having said that, they gave the idea of a sexual life little life.

Humans are very different from other mammals in many ways. Other mammals mate or have sex at certain times (when fertility is high), while humans mate or have sex whenever it suits us. Human sexual desire is typically not influenced by a female's fertility.

Mammals typically live in social groupings where a dominant male spreads his genes among the members of the group. Another male must battle for the right to have sex with any female. Certain mammals have comparatively isolated lives and only assemble to breed. However, most species find marriage and committed relationships to be completely foreign concepts. Most mammals have several sexual partners, yet there are some creatures that are monogamous, such beavers, gibbons, and penguins.

However, as we all know, marriage involves more than just being monogamous and pledging your all to your spouse for "as long as you both shall live." For a lot of people, starting a family and raising kids together is another reason to get married. In human relationships, both parents usually raise their children together, even though many women still perform the majority of the parenting duties.

Moreover, unlike other mammals, humans do not publicly mate. The majority of us keep our sexual behavior relatively private and hardly ever have sex in public. Most of the time, having sex is a private, intimate activity that happens in private. Again, given that animals that engage in open sexual activity are more susceptible to predators, this may make evolutionary sense.

Not only are humans very secret about our sexual behavior, but we also conceal women's menstruation and ovulation. Women seldom promote their fertility, and using sanitary items is viewed as shameful. Conversely, female baboons give their male counterparts a big red flag. Baboon males are able to determine the exact time when females ovulate because the surrounding around the vagina becomes swollen and turns red.

Nature and Upbringing

Despite our territorial nature, we do not inhabit a single, exclusive territory. Rather, as social animals, humans depend on one another to create a stable social structure both culturally and economically. Building such stability frequently depends on the relationships we build.

Within the animal kingdom, the dominant male typically mates with multiple partners in order to disperse his genes. The theory is that young from a dominant man have a higher chance of surviving than those from a less deserving specimen. Humans, on the other hand, are distinct in that we consider nurturing. Even though our parents' genes may be similar to our own, our story doesn't end there.

The link between mother and child is strengthened by pregnancy and breastfeeding, which women typically spend more time with their children. Although they don't have the same physiology as women, males haven't developed to be breastfeeders. Diamond suggests that evolution might require this in the future, or it might not.

Additionally, women are not able to disperse their genes as frequently or widely as men can. Men are theoretically able to procreate with as many women as they choose, which gives them far greater genetic dispersal than women. It takes a minimum of a year for women to contemplate having another child after their previous one. Today, nevertheless, men are more likely to commit to a spouse if a child is born.

This will enable them to assist with a portion of the childrearing duties. In actuality, monogamous partnerships aid in protecting our offspring. Without a doubt, the responsibilities of mothers and fathers vary depending on the situation, but in the majority of current countries, men are involved in raising their children. Still, because to the nature of their biology and physiology, women are more closely linked to their children.

Additionally, there is the issue of confirming maternity and paternity. While men lack this degree of confidence, women can be absolutely positive that they are their child's mother. There may have always been doubts regarding a man's paternity before paternity or DNA testing.

The menopause that affects female humans is one of the biggest differences between us and our nearest siblings, the apes. Our expert discusses why women should stay infertile for such a long time, even if menopause may not make much evolutionary sense. According to Diamond, it all boils down to survival. It's challenging to raise kids.

It appears wiser to concentrate on the children who are already born rather than having more, especially at a time when health and fitness are more unsteady. In addition, elder women play a significant part in family work and are frequently the primary caregivers for their grandkids. In traditional communities, elder women play a vital role in passing on survival knowledge to younger women.

The majority of apes don't live past the age of sixty. However, compared to the average ape, humans have a longer lifespan and are in better physical condition. Menopause, according to our author, may help to explain part of this. We are able to maintain our strength and health due to our restricted reproductive lifespan.

The body experiences trauma after childbirth, and we require time to heal from the experience. Because they give birth to five pups every few months, mice have extremely short lifespans. Because we tend to prioritize maintenance and repairs over rapid reproduction, humans have a higher chance of surviving over the long run.

The Price of Sex

Many people believe that having sex is only for fun. We typically discount the consequences of having sex when we're younger and not thinking about procreation, simply following along with our libidos.

Sexual activity carries hazards and can be costly. The cost of having a kid is significant, in addition to the variety of STDs that need to be taken into account. So why do we engage in recreational sexual activity while being oblivious to the repercussions? Two theories are put out by our author as to why people engage in recreational sex.

According to the "many fathers" idea, there is misunderstanding over paternity because we don't know when women are ovulating. It is possible for women to have several sexual partners, leading to confusion about the paternity of the child. Our author speculates that this might have been an evolutionary ruse to lessen the likelihood of infanticide. In order to be able to defend our young, we have developed.

The "daddy-at-home" hypothesis is another. According to this notion, women attract men into living with the promise of unlimited sex because they can have sex anytime they want. Diamond contends that women's need to shield their offspring from infanticide led to the evolution of covert ovulation.

The "daddy-at-home" hypothesis is another. According to this notion, women attract men into coexistence with the promise of unlimited sex because they can have sex anytime they want. Diamond claims that women's need to shield their offspring from infanticide led to the evolution of covert ovulation. Monogamy developed as a result of the necessity for a stable spouse who could offer protection and security as ovulation became hidden.

To put it briefly, monogamy is far safer than having several partners.

Bringing The Bacon Home

What part do men play in parenting?

Looking at most mammals, the answer is not very long. Not at all.

The human father, on the other hand, is very different and frequently stays with his family following intercourse. Anthropologists contend that it is important to understand how masculine humans have evolved to place a greater emphasis on family and responsibility. The man's job in pre-modern traditional communities was to hunt.

It was in the hunter's role that Diamond discovered some interesting insights. Our author focused on tribes in Paraguay and New Guinea. He discovered that there is more to hunting than merely supplying meat and showing your might as a guardian. Hunters are usually poor at bringing home the bacon. It's interesting to note that in hunter-gatherer societies, women generally burned more calories than men did.

Furthermore, they deliver food with greater consistency. Then why do men not use their time to gather food? What does this signify?

Diamond says that in the end, it all boils down to sex. Many tribal women seem to be drawn to skilled hunters for sexual relations. Thus, you stand a better chance of being selected as your future spouse if you're a skilled hunter. According to Diamond, there are two kinds of men in these societies: "providers" and "show-offs." Sadly, despite their limited ability to contribute, most women choose to be show-offs because they enjoy a better social status.

Are We Being Sold Something?

Sex, we're told, sells. But when it comes to sexual qualities, what do we value?

Numerous animals have evolved signals to promote our biological characteristics and dominating features. For instance, birds strut their impressive plumage and sing to attract possible partners.

According to Fisher's Runaway Selection Model, females are drawn to traits that increase their chances of surviving. Therefore, a man who possesses physical attributes such as strength, agility, or muscularity will be more adept in providing and guarding. The Handicap Theory of Zahavi provides an alternative viewpoint. A peacock's tail does not improve anything in terms of survival or protection. Yes, it has a nice appearance, but that's all.

I wonder if you've ever heard of "peacocking?" Men emphasize their qualities by bringing them to light in the dating landscape of today. In order to stand out from other males, they could even wear extremely bright colors or tight shorts that accentuate their legs.

Most women might not find it attractive when guys invest a lot of time and money in their appearance. A man is less likely to desire to support his family if he enjoys excessive expenditure. Also, he might not be a caring and attentive partner if he is very absorbed in his ego.

To put it briefly, a man's nice looks and grooming could work against him. Sex appeal encompasses much more than attractive appearances and stylish hairstyles.

To sum up, why is having sex fun? provides some intriguing thoughts on human sexuality and sex. It's a fun and interesting read that should be appreciated as a compilation of concepts rather than a conclusive solution.

One of the most significant aspects of both animal and human behavior is sex, and it is something we ought to be discussing and reasoning about far more. There could be no survival without sex.

Examining the development of sex and sexuality can provide us with a great deal of understanding about how we came to be.

Human sex and sexuality are products of evolution, even if Billy Crystal made distinctions between male and female as well as between reason and location. Furthermore, since we're constantly changing, we should always discuss sex.