Now I know most of the frequent readers and contributors to this site are not fans of philosophy, that is, the play of words as it has been adeptly described, but that my friends will not stop us from time to time sharing philosophical musings.
Here Schopenhauer is talking about love or rather here specifically sexual relationship, if I can call it that. He writes
First of all we have to remark here that by nature man is inclined to inconstancy in love, woman to constancy. The love of the man sinks perceptibly from the moment it has obtained satisfaction; almost every other woman charms him more than the one he already possesses; he longs for variety. The love of the woman, on the other hand, increases just from that moment. This is a consequence of the aim of nature which is directed to the maintenance, and therefore to the greatest possible increase, of the species. The man can easily beget over a hundred children a year, the woman, on the contrary, with however many men, can only bring one child a year into the world. Therefore the man always looks about after other women, the woman, again, sticks firmly to the one man; for nature moves her, instinctively and without reflection, to retain the nourisher and protector of the future offspring.
Accordingly faithfulness in marriage is with the man artificial, with the woman it is natural.
In his book, the monogamy myth, David Barash looks at extra pair copulation among animals and reports it is prevalent in almost all species. He reports that among birds, when and if a bird pairs with a different male, it does so secretly so as not to jeopardise the relationship with the regular male.
Birth control has changed all that, as well as women’s empowerment. Women have just as much of a sex drive as men. Therefore, the women can also look about after other men.
Quote: “Women want sex just as much as men do, and this drive is “not, for the most part, sparked or sustained by emotional intimacy and safety.” When it comes to the craving for sexual variety, the research Bergner assembles suggests that women may be “even less well-suited for monogamy than men.”
http://www.theatlantic.com/sexes/archive/2013/06/turns-out-women-have-really-really-strong-sex-drives-can-men-handle-it/276598/
LikeLiked by 4 people
I couldn’t agree more. In addition to contraception, there are other social advances which empower women’s sexual freedom such as their movement into the workforce and the ongoing push towards wage and occupational equality (I was and am a supporter of the failed Equal Rights Amendment in America).
Side note: As a regular reader of this blog, I happen to love philosophy and philosophical discussions; however, I am extremely wary of conflating abstract philosophical concepts with empirical knowledge. There is a huge difference between what we might believe to be true and what we actually know to be true.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“There is a huge difference between what we might believe to be true and what we actually know to be true.” Unless you’re a fundamentalist Christian, Muslim or Tea Baggin’ conservative. Then, since you just KNOW that what you believe to be true irrefutably IS true, you have the right to kill those who disagree with you. And therein lies the path to world peace, or something like that. $Amen$
LikeLiked by 2 people
Exactly.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Oh brother, you never disappoint.
A fundamentalist christcultist believes big fishes are transporter animals, so it is true.
LikeLiked by 2 people
“There is a huge difference between what we might believe to be true and what we actually know to be true.”
Well said, Bob. This couldn’t be more apparent from a neuroscience lens.
LikeLiked by 2 people
As a side note, it should always be remembered the author of this blog loves conversation. I believe our knowledge comes from experience or possible experience. Anything beyond that is almost always speculation. It should not be thought that I have any intention of making extravagant claims for which we can’t prove one way or other.
Do you think birth control has changed the nature of women? If for arguments sake we were to believe Schopenhauer, could the claim that contraceptive has changed the nature of women from one of constancy to inconstancy?
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think contraception and the other social advances mentioned previously have changed women’s behavior, but not their nature. Women are still women.
LikeLike
I tend to believe a lot of men (and some women) would have trouble giving up “slut shaming” if women were to seize their sexual freedom. It’s served patriarchy too well for too long and could be a hard habit to break. The article you posted does a nice job of touching on that topic.
LikeLiked by 2 people
I agree, Violet. When unmarried women have sex, they are considered sluts or whores. When unmarried men have sex, they’re considered to have gotten lucky.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I’ve been called a whore, even as a married woman faithful to her husband, because I left religion (it is assumed some sexual deviation made me banish myself from god). I wonder if there are any men who get called whores when they leave the faith?
LikeLiked by 2 people
Assholes. They call us assholes. Wait….They called me that before I left the faith. Never mind.
LikeLiked by 2 people
or cannibals. I think they would be calling us rapists too if they could.
LikeLiked by 1 person
It is assumed, Violet, because those who are assuming are most likely sexual deviants themselves, you know, like those who prefer fucking little boys and girls.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Quite right, Victoria. And there’s nothing that gets me more worked up than the fu*king pedophile priests and those who sheltered them, enabling one man to rape hundreds of boys. Gah!
LikeLiked by 3 people
Violet, my grandmother stopped reading the blog, said I swore too many times. You can fucking swear all you want.
Last I heard the Katlick church said it was the children’s fault. Don’t ask me how.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I love that I can swear on your blog, Mak…it’s very therapeutic. 🙂
About the sodomized boys: several catholic churches say it’s the boy’s responsibility to tell people what happened to them. My problem with that is, if you’re a younger child you might not understand what happened to you, and if you’re an older child you might worry people won’t believe you (and blame it on you instead). The responsibility for reporting pedophile priests does NOT lie with the children who have been victimized…it lies with the FUCKING CHURCH!
*Violet steps off her soapbox*
LikeLike
It’s meant to be therapeutic. A place for both serious talk mixed with humour.
The Catholic Church owes the world an apology
LikeLiked by 1 person
“those who prefer fucking little boys and girls.” Priests! You’re talking about Katlick priests! I know you are. I just KNOW it! 🙂
LikeLike
I think for godcultists, they have urges they can’t express and think people stop believing in the make believe beings to indulge. Poor people
LikeLiked by 2 people
I’m an unmarried man who doesn’t have sex at all, and many people still think I’m a whore. Go figure.
LikeLiked by 2 people
LOL
LikeLiked by 2 people
I think it’s because the little white toga you’re wearing is pretty sexy. That, and you can use your lightning bolt for persuasion as well. Women would fall at your feet…dead or otherwise! 😀
LikeLiked by 3 people
😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yeah, I agree Violet, and just think about this — Inspires lightening bolt is an abundant resource for recharging batteries. 😉
LikeLiked by 2 people
LOL!!!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Actually, when I set the bolt to “low” power, battery powered devices are completely unnecessary.
LikeLiked by 3 people
You sexy thang. Lol
LikeLiked by 2 people
😀
LikeLiked by 2 people
Hahaha. Self charging or permanent power
LikeLiked by 1 person
Haha. Don’t go giving him ideas
LikeLiked by 1 person
To-ga! To-ga! To-ga! Let’s have a toga party a la Animal House!
LikeLiked by 1 person
I wonder if Mak has enough room, or shall we party at your place, Bob?
*looks through my closet for my best toga outfit*
LikeLiked by 1 person
My place is okay, but I’m thinking: what could be better than a toga party in Kenya?!!!
LikeLiked by 2 people
Haha, true that. 😀
LikeLiked by 1 person
A burrito party in Mexico?
LikeLiked by 1 person
Count me in!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Me too, but we start with a toga party in Kenya
LikeLiked by 1 person
Yippie!!!
LikeLike
Here I am trying to sleep then I hear all this noise :-). There is enough space for all of you and more.
LikeLiked by 1 person
“Over? Over?! Nothing is over! Was it over when the Germans bombed Pearl Harbor?” “Leave ’em alone, he’s on a roll.”
LikeLiked by 1 person
Bluto for President… lol!
LikeLiked by 1 person
He’d be better than Trump.
LikeLiked by 1 person
How unfortunate.
Stone the fuckers
LikeLike
I think most people have unhealthy ideas of sex.
LikeLike
Gee, I wonder why…
LikeLike
Religion. Religion. Or cultural norms.
I have heard of people who have not had sex in daylight or with lights on. It’s all groping in the dark.
LikeLiked by 1 person
I think it has served the species.
LikeLike
Remember OM, you’re only 30 seconds away from total disinterest. 😉
LikeLiked by 1 person
I will remember 🙂
How are you
LikeLiked by 1 person
Good my friend, and hope you are too – thanks for asking. 🙂
LikeLike
I am very well. All is good
LikeLike
As Boris Karloff once said to Bela Lugosi, “Women want sex just as much as men, Bela. They’re just not as monstrously piggish about expressing it as we are.”
LikeLiked by 2 people
Haha.
I think you have a quote generator.
Is there a topic for which you don’t have an appropriate quote?
LikeLiked by 1 person
“There is no topic for which I cannot find a pertinent quote.” Michael Jordan to Scottie Pippin, circa 1993
LikeLiked by 1 person
You are lucky fellow or should I say a witty fellow
LikeLiked by 1 person