Comments on: Waxing Desmond Morris’ Naked Man http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/ The 'Father' of the Metrosexual, the Retrosexual & Spawner of Sporno Sat, 20 Mar 2010 21:42:02 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Mark http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/comment-page-1/#comment-3759 Mark Sun, 09 Mar 2008 23:33:10 +0000 http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/#comment-3759 Any book that uses evolution as an argument for the innate wonder of heterosexuality should be pulped and fed to the author. It's a shame since the cover looks so gay-friendly. Any book that uses evolution as an argument for the innate wonder of heterosexuality should be pulped and fed to the author. It’s a shame since the cover looks so gay-friendly.

]]> By: Heather http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/comment-page-1/#comment-3709 Heather Tue, 05 Feb 2008 01:39:48 +0000 http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/#comment-3709 I was so appalled by this risible pseudoscience from a man whom I respected, that I emailed him personally and gave him several pieces of my mind, quite offensively put I concede, in the heat of the moment, and got summarily blocked from his inbox. I don't find the "arrested development" romantic - I find it a steaming pile of horseshit that should have been given up decades ago by any self-respecting scientist. There are, for instance documented differences in the hypothalamus of gay and straight men and women. As well as differences in the response to putative sexy pheromones - with homosexual men getting excited, subliminally, in the most primal areas of their brain, by whiffs of manly chemicals. And a similar predictable result happened with the lesbians. Not to mention of course that homosexual behaviour has been reported in over 1,500 animal species, and well documented in over 500. Quite frankly, you can take this arrested development bollocks and shove it right up your arse. Be sure to use plenty of lube. For any further reference on Mother Nature's attitude to same-sex kink, I highly recommend the purchase of the hardback book "Biological Exuberance" by Bruce Bagemihl. Bagemihl illustrates and sets down a variety of selected species noted for having some element of homosexual behaviour, exploding countless myths (not least the homosexuality is "unnatuaral" or "evolutionarily unsound") in the process. Not only that, but the whole tome is beautifully referenced, and in the part of the book that gives a species-by-species guide, every single relevent scientific paper used is listed neatly in fine print beside the write-up of each species. And just to back up my assertions earlier in this comment, and to get you reading even more - here are some interesting links: "Against Nature?" exhibition on animal homosexuality: http://www.nhm.uio.no/againstnature/index.html A nice article titled "The Science of Gaydar, which outlines some of what I've mentioned and more: http://nymag.com/news/features/33520/ On pheromone responses according to orientation: http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7358 More on that: http://www.sensualism.com/gay/androstadienone.html A scientific paper on the pheromones should you want it: http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/102/20/7356 Anything I missed? I think I've said enough now. Thanks for listening. I was so appalled by this risible pseudoscience from a man whom I respected, that I emailed him personally and gave him several pieces of my mind, quite offensively put I concede, in the heat of the moment, and got summarily blocked from his inbox.

I don’t find the “arrested development” romantic – I find it a steaming pile of horseshit that should have been given up decades ago by any self-respecting scientist. There are, for instance documented differences in the hypothalamus of gay and straight men and women. As well as differences in the response to putative sexy pheromones – with homosexual men getting excited, subliminally, in the most primal areas of their brain, by whiffs of manly chemicals. And a similar predictable result happened with the lesbians.

Not to mention of course that homosexual behaviour has been reported in over 1,500 animal species, and well documented in over 500. Quite frankly, you can take this arrested development bollocks and shove it right up your arse. Be sure to use plenty of lube.

For any further reference on Mother Nature’s attitude to same-sex kink, I highly recommend the purchase of the hardback book “Biological Exuberance” by Bruce Bagemihl. Bagemihl illustrates and sets down a variety of selected species noted for having some element of homosexual behaviour, exploding countless myths (not least the homosexuality is “unnatuaral” or “evolutionarily unsound”) in the process. Not only that, but the whole tome is beautifully referenced, and in the part of the book that gives a species-by-species guide, every single relevent scientific paper used is listed neatly in fine print beside the write-up of each species.

And just to back up my assertions earlier in this comment, and to get you reading even more – here are some interesting links:

“Against Nature?” exhibition on animal homosexuality:

http://www.nhm.uio.no/againstnature/index.html

A nice article titled “The Science of Gaydar, which outlines some of what I’ve mentioned and more:

http://nymag.com/news/features/33520/

On pheromone responses according to orientation:

http://www.newscientist.com/article.ns?id=dn7358

More on that:

http://www.sensualism.com/gay/androstadienone.html

A scientific paper on the pheromones should you want it:

http://www.pnas.org/cgi/content/full/102/20/7356

Anything I missed?

I think I’ve said enough now. Thanks for listening.

]]> By: uroskin http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/comment-page-1/#comment-3695 uroskin Sat, 26 Jan 2008 00:42:32 +0000 http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/#comment-3695 After this review I think I will give Des Morris a wide berth and stick to the Jan Morris section of the library. After this review I think I will give Des Morris a wide berth and stick to the Jan Morris section of the library.

]]> By: David http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/comment-page-1/#comment-3694 David Wed, 23 Jan 2008 04:46:18 +0000 http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/#comment-3694 It is interesting how the focus on reproduction can avoid recognition of the evolution of warrior classes that arose to protect and defend societies throughout human history and the role that homosexuality could play in creating bonds between men and how it also functioned to inculcate manly virtues in young warriors. From the Samurai in Japan to the Greeks nearer home. It was precisely this love between warriors that was considered to make the Spartans so formidable. Something that is omitted from such comic book versions of history as the recent "300". These same warriors would also marry and have children. One type of sexual behaviour didn't preclude the other. You can see how in these societies homosexuality in one sphere of life could be supportive of successful heterosexual reproduction in another by creating a safe environment in which to raise children. While during our evolutionary history many resources were scarce, sperm wasn't one of them. As objective as some of these evolutionary scientists might try to be, this science was born from a world shaped by the Judeo-Christian world-view and it seems to me that this narrow focus on heterosexual sex as being the only sex that matters when it come to the survival of the species is very like how the Patriarchs viewed things. For them only sex that could lead to conception was allowed and everything like sodomy and masturbation was sinful. They had no idea how sex for enjoyments sake could function to strengthen the bonds between people. In the same way who can tell, in the long history of the human race, how the great variety of human sexual behaviours might also have contributed to our survival in more subtle ways. It is interesting how the focus on reproduction can avoid recognition of the evolution of warrior classes that arose to protect and defend societies throughout human history and the role that homosexuality could play in creating bonds between men and how it also functioned to inculcate manly virtues in young warriors. From the Samurai in Japan to the Greeks nearer home.
It was precisely this love between warriors that was considered to make the Spartans so formidable. Something that is omitted from such comic book versions of history as the recent “300″.
These same warriors would also marry and have children. One type of sexual behaviour didn’t preclude the other. You can see how in these societies homosexuality in one sphere of life could be supportive of successful heterosexual reproduction in another by creating a safe environment in which to raise children. While during our evolutionary history many resources were scarce, sperm wasn’t one of them.
As objective as some of these evolutionary scientists might try to be, this science was born from a world shaped by the Judeo-Christian world-view and it seems to me that this narrow focus on heterosexual sex as being the only sex that matters when it come to the survival of the species is very like how the Patriarchs viewed things. For them only sex that could lead to conception was allowed and everything like sodomy and masturbation was sinful. They had no idea how sex for enjoyments sake could function to strengthen the bonds between people.
In the same way who can tell, in the long history of the human race, how the great variety of human sexual behaviours might also have contributed to our survival in more subtle ways.

]]> By: Simon http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/comment-page-1/#comment-3693 Simon Tue, 22 Jan 2008 13:15:13 +0000 http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/#comment-3693 Thanks for an interesting article Mark. I have not read this book, but I have just reread "Peoplewatching" (2002), Morris' update to "Manwatching" (1977), so I have a feel for his style. I think it is fair to say that at the time his main concern surrounded the variations within and between "male" and "female" behaviours, and to explode myths around traditional gender roles. To me this seems an obvious theme to follow during the 1970's. On the whole I feel his book was very impartial and unbiased. It's a fascinating book. However in these publications his references to homosex(uality) are very slight, and normally only refer to the various ways people (presumably straight men) can verbally or physically insult each other! It is clear that at the time he was not particularly interested in discussing homosexuality. And it is no surprise to me that today his ideas have not developed further beyond rather crude behavioural theory from (probably) quite limited amounts of new research - he is in his 80s after all! But in his formative years he DID make great inroads into debunking traditional stereotypes, for which we should recognise. I accept however that perhaps it is now up to to others to expand on his observations when it comes to sexuality. Thanks for an interesting article Mark. I have not read this book, but I have just reread “Peoplewatching” (2002), Morris’ update to “Manwatching” (1977), so I have a feel for his style. I think it is fair to say that at the time his main concern surrounded the variations within and between “male” and “female” behaviours, and to explode myths around traditional gender roles. To me this seems an obvious theme to follow during the 1970’s. On the whole I feel his book was very impartial and unbiased. It’s a fascinating book.

However in these publications his references to homosex(uality) are very slight, and normally only refer to the various ways people (presumably straight men) can verbally or physically insult each other!

It is clear that at the time he was not particularly interested in discussing homosexuality. And it is no surprise to me that today his ideas have not developed further beyond rather crude behavioural theory from (probably) quite limited amounts of new research – he is in his 80s after all!

But in his formative years he DID make great inroads into debunking traditional stereotypes, for which we should recognise. I accept however that perhaps it is now up to to others to expand on his observations when it comes to sexuality.

]]> By: Chris http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/comment-page-1/#comment-3691 Chris Mon, 21 Jan 2008 18:50:31 +0000 http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/#comment-3691 This is too good to be true. Are you sure you didn't inventthis book for the purposes of the review? I remember feeling nervous when reading Morris's asides about homosexuality in The Naked Ape. It seems that, for people who make a career out of Darwinian psychological just-so stories, homosexuality becomes a focus in the same way that it does for religious fundamentalists. Both meet a stumbling block in their worldview, which has to be rationalised away or eradicated. Carry on your good work for the Third Way... This is too good to be true. Are you sure you didn’t inventthis book for the purposes of the review?
I remember feeling nervous when reading Morris’s asides about homosexuality in The Naked Ape. It seems that, for people who make a career out of Darwinian psychological just-so stories, homosexuality becomes a focus in the same way that it does for religious fundamentalists. Both meet a stumbling block in their worldview, which has to be rationalised away or eradicated.
Carry on your good work for the Third Way…

]]> By: Bryan http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/comment-page-1/#comment-3690 Bryan Mon, 21 Jan 2008 17:54:31 +0000 http://www.marksimpson.com/blog/2008/01/21/the-naked-man-a-study-of-the-male-body-desmond-morris/#comment-3690 I used to enjoy Morris' books and TV work but this is shocking. What a throwback! I think what's most offensive is the "final impassioned plea" - as if that triteness makes up for the rest of it. Oh those wacky 'liberals'... I used to enjoy Morris’ books and TV work but this is shocking. What a throwback! I think what’s most offensive is the “final impassioned plea” – as if that triteness makes up for the rest of it. Oh those wacky ‘liberals’…

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