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Incest is not such a clear-cut matter as it has been made out to be over millennia of taboos. Many participants claim to have enjoyed the act and its physical and emotional consequences. It is often the result of seduction. In some cases, two consenting and fully informed adults are involved. Many types of relationships, which are defined as incestuous, are between genetically unrelated parties (a stepfather and a daughter), or between fictive kin or between classificatory kin (that belong to the same matriline or patriline). In certain societies (the American Indians or the Chinese) it is sufficient to carry the same family name (=to belong to the same clan) and marriage is forbidden. Some incest prohibitions relate to sexual acts - other to marriage. In some societies, incest is mandatory or prohibited, according to the social class (Bali). In others, the Royal House started a tradition of incestuous marriages, which were imitated by lower classes (Ancient Egypt). The list is long and it serves to demonstrate the diversity of this most universal taboo. Generally put, we can say that a prohibition to have sex with or marry a related person should be classified as an incest prohibition, no matter the nature of the relationship.
Perhaps the strongest feature of incest has been hitherto downplayed: that it is, essentially, an autoerotic act. Having sex with a first-degree blood relative is like having sex with yourself. It is a Narcissistic act and like all acts Narcissistic, it involves the objectification of the partner. The incestuous Narcissist over-values and then devalues his sexual partner. He is devoid of empathy (cannot see the other's point of view or put himself in her shoes). For an in depth treatment of Narcissism and its psychosexual dimension, see: "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited" and "Frequently Asked Questions" (scroll down for a complete list of FAQs).
But incest involves more than a manifestation of a personality disorder or of a paraphilia (incest is considered by many to be a class of pedophilia). It harks back to the very nature of the family. It is closely entangled with its functions and with its contribution to the development of the individual within it.
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...s of inheritance. This interference led, in all probability, to disputes. In more primitive societies, arms were resorted to in an effort to resolve conflicts. To prevent recurrent and costly bloodshed was one of the intentions of the incest taboo.
The incest taboo is, therefore, a cultural trait. Protective of the efficient mechanism of the family, society sought to minimize disruption to its activities and to the clear flows of authority, responsibilities, material wealth and information horizontally and vertically. Incest threatened to unravel this magnificent creation. Alarmed by the possible consequences (internal and external feuds, a rise in the level of aggression and violence) – society introduced the taboo. It came replete with physical and emotional sanctions: stigmatization, revulsion and horror, imprisonment, the demolition of the errant and socially mutant family cell. As long as societies revolve around the relegation of power, its sharing, its acquisition and dispensation – there will always exist an incest taboo. But in a different society and culture, it is conceivable not to have such a taboo. This would be either utopian or dystopian, depending on the reader.
If the new legislation were passed the law would also specify that incest is “sexual intercourse or sodomy” between “grandparent of the whole blood or half blood, aunt of the whole blood or the half blood, uncle of the whole blood or the half blood”(House Bill 534). The legislation also repeals “any laws or parts of laws in conflict” with the bill (House Bill 534). The most recent log in this bill’s status history was on April the second of 2015 when it was “House Withdrawn, Recommitted”(House Bill
...s of incest? Can one’s ignorance of his actions be the basis for his innocence?
Incest is not something that happens to “those people over there” the ones across town who don’t wash very often. It happens to all strata of society, at all economic levels, and in all ethnic groups.
Before Levi-Strauss, there were three primary theories put forward to explain the incest. Some, like Westermarck and Ellis, believed that the prohibition derived from an instinctive horror of familial sex inherent in a person's psychology. Others argued that the prohibition was the result of an elementary understanding of eugenics, making people vaguely aware of the potential genetic problems of inbreeding. The third explanation is the closest to what Levi-Strauss eventually arrives at, advanced by Durkheim. He believed that intimate relationships with blood relatives were prohibited because of the connection between blood and the substantiality of the tribal or personal totem. A man engaged in sexual acts with a woman who shares his blood would be in danger of coming into direct physical contact with his own blood, the `substantial expression of his kinship with his totem' (p.20). )
Schulman blames legalization of homosexual marriage as the cause for the possible permission of incest. However, this is like saying that if marijuana were to be legalized, it will lead to the acceptance of cocaine. Even when homosexuals do achieve their legal rights, currently only given to heterosexual married couples; it will not give rise to the legalization of incestuous relationships and incestuous marriages. Legalizing gay marriage will not pose any threat to the structure of society.
From the time a child is born, in usual circumstances, that child is loved unconditionally. A person grows up with their family, and is able to express who they really are. Because of this, ties within the family are usually quite strong. Take for example the relationship between Idgie and Buddy: Idgie (Imogene), a dare-devilish tomboy, and her older brother Buddy are quite close until Buddy's untimely death. Idgie takes his passing with difficulty: "You never saw anybody hurt so much. I thought she would die right along with him" (Flagg, p.37).
Williamson, Edwin. "Magical Realism and the Theme of Incest in One Hundred Years of Solitude." In McGuirk and Cardwell. 45-63.
The first dynasty that will go in depth of incest will be King Tutankhamun and the 18th dynasty. Tutankhamun is that he was the youngest ruler and son of Akhenaten, who was the first to find a monotheistic religion (Sayre 96). Tutankhamun became famous on November 26, 1922, when his tomb was discovered (Sayre 75). It was the only tomb that robbers did not get to the tomb. Tutankhamun was a pharaoh, who was crowned at nine years old, 3,300 years ago according to Zahi Hawass article, “King Tut’s family secrets: DNA evidence reveals the truth about the boy king's parents and
In chapter 12, it states that every group is organized into a family. A family is defined as people who consider themselves related by blood, marriage, or even adoption. The Western part of the world defines family consisting of a wife, husband, and children. However, this does not always define family. In the Banaro of New Guinea, a young lady must give birth before she can marry, afterwards she is not able to marry the father of her child. Some describe the family unit as parents who are responsible for the discipline of their children and their material needs. However, in the Trobriand Islanders, the wife’s eldest brother is responsible for providing the children’s food and discipline. The most predictable social channels consist of age, education, social class, and ethnicity. Sociologists refer to the term homogamy to refer to the tendency people who have similar characteristics are likely to marry one another. This is a way of saying that humans tend to “fall in love” with and marry others who live near us or meet in a social
Tidefors, I., Arvidsson, H., & Ingevaldson, S. (2010). Sibling incest: A literate review and clinical study. Journal of Sexual Agression, 348-358.
Sociologists view the family as a universal institution that is central to social life (Powell and Branden 2007). The family is defined as a group of people related by descent, marriage, or adoption (pg 365). Marriage plays a pivotal role in families, marriage is the socially acknowledged and approved and often legal union of two people, allowing them to live together and to have children by birth or adoption (pg 365). The key to understanding the family are the concepts of endogamy and exogamy; endogamy is marriage to someone with similar characteristics in terms of race, ethnicity, religion, education level, social class,
Incest and Sexism What role incest and sexism play in Shakespeare ’s play Hamlet? This complex play exhibits themes such as incest, sexism, death, revenge, and love. The two that we will be focusing on are incest and sexism.
Incest in A Thousand Acres invades all the other items: it is there, and is crucial for everything that happens, but it is hidden beneath the surface of appearances.
Kinship basically one of the main organizing principles of society and it represent basic social institution found in every society. Kinship is universal and in most of societies, kinship plays the significant role in the socialization of individuals and the maintenance of group solidarity. Basically, people in all societies are bound together by various kind of bonds and the basic bonds are those based on marriage. A.R Radcliffe Brown defines kinship as “a system of dynamic relations between person and person in a community, the behavior of any two persons in any of these relations being regulated in some way and to a greater or less
Teicher, M. H., & Vitaliano, G. D. (2011). Witnessing Violence Toward Siblings: An Understudied but Potent Form of Early Adversity. Plos ONE, 6(12), 1-10. doi:10.1371/journal.pone.0028852