Comments by Dread Polack

1. Ten Politically Incorrect Truths About Human Nature

Comment #55264 by Dread Polack on July 10, 2007 at 11:28 am

This article seems to be exactly what it claims to be: Politically Incorrect. A lot of the negative responses to it seem to be pretty angry, and I understand that. I don't want much of it to be true, and I am skeptical about it. The thing about being skeptical is that sometimes things are true even if we don't like them. I'm no expert in any kind of psychology, much less evolutionary, but I'm willing to believe most/all of the statements.

Also, people are bringing up exceptions in some attempts to debunk the article. I'm not defending it, but around here, we should know that specific anecdotes should be taken with a grain of salt.

Some specific responses:

1) I've often pointed out to frustrated female friends that I don't choose what I'm attracted to. If I could, I'd choose to be attracted to the most common features, so I could stare at beautiful women everywhere I go, and be more likely to be attracted, physically, to the same girls I'm attracted to, personally. But sadly, I'm mostly attracted to the same things most guys are. We forget we're animals, and there's nothing spiritual or magical about beauty- we want to mate with healthy females, and we can't shut it off.

Having said that, I like short-haired girls. There's always exceptions :)

2) Seems pretty obvious. Marriages fail and spouses cheat regularly, and it hurts, but it's just another thing we're not honest with ourselves about.

3) This statement probably makes most of us cringe, but they're pretty specific about what sort of benefits they're talking about. It comes down to personal choice. In our society, women don't need males to support them as much, so I think most of us prefer the idea of one mate, but that doesn't mean it's natural.

4) This sounds like a lot of speculation, but I can believe it. Being a male without a mate, the stress can get pretty bad, and enough religious propaganda pushing the right buttons, I can see how males in similar situations might go over that edge.

5) I think this is becoming less the case, and glad of it.

6) Interesting. On a related note, there is a stereotype that beautiful people don't have to work as hard as ugly people because they are treated better by everyone, and I believe it's supported by studies. In my own experience, I know that most guys (and women as well), are willing to give a break, or even go that extra step to help out a female we find attractive. I find it personally frustrating, especially when a girl is intentionally using her looks to get something from me. A lot of the time, she doesn't even realize she's doing it- it's just the way she's used to dealing with people. I also know a guy who has clearly attained most of his success on his looks and charisma. Don't think that just because guys don't have such obvious features as boobs that women aren't being just as superficial when choosing men

7) Sounds like it needs more study, but I am willing to believe it.

8) Ditto. Not a happy fact, but if true, we should accept it and work on not being jerks about it.

9) Never underestimate the power of our biological compulsions!

10) Doesn't make a lot of sense to me. I believe general harassment might be non-discriminatory, but sexual harassment (groping, sexual coercion, etc) obviously doesn't happen between men outside of prison.

I was taught in school that rape was *never* about sex, but only about control. I don't believe this. It's almost certainly both, at least most of the time.

Dread Polack