A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What the World's Largest Experiment Reveals about Human Desire (37 page)
Authors: Ogi Ogas,Sai Gaddam
BOOK: A Billion Wicked Thoughts: What the World's Largest Experiment Reveals about Human Desire
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xii
almost all of these people are still “WEIRD”
Henrich, et al. (2010). The WEIRD paper was coauthored with Ara Norenzayan and Steven Heine.
CHAPTER 1almost all of these people are still “WEIRD”
Henrich, et al. (2010). The WEIRD paper was coauthored with Ara Norenzayan and Steven Heine.
1
The study of desire
Personal communication, August 12, 2010, based upon original in Meana (2010).
The study of desire
Personal communication, August 12, 2010, based upon original in Meana (2010).
“That researchers can distill sexual desire and separate it from its historical, cultural, and interpersonal context may be an illusion, but striving to be conscious of this complexity is a requirement. The study of sexuality, and desire in particular, has never been for the faint of heart.”
1
Heinrich Hertz built the very first radio antenna
Hertz stated, “I do not think that the wireless waves I have discovered will have any practical application.” Photos of Hertz’s original setup can be found at
http://www.sparkmuseum.com/BOOK_HERTZ.HTM
. Also see Buchwald (1994).
Heinrich Hertz built the very first radio antenna
Hertz stated, “I do not think that the wireless waves I have discovered will have any practical application.” Photos of Hertz’s original setup can be found at
http://www.sparkmuseum.com/BOOK_HERTZ.HTM
. Also see Buchwald (1994).
2
Psychopathia Sexualis
The original is Krafft-Ebing (1887). We used Krafft-Ebing & Rebman (1906). available at
http://www.archive.org/details/psychopathiasexu00krafuoft
.
Psychopathia Sexualis
The original is Krafft-Ebing (1887). We used Krafft-Ebing & Rebman (1906). available at
http://www.archive.org/details/psychopathiasexu00krafuoft
.
2
“see what’s on the end of everyone’s fork”
Burroughs et al. (2003).
“see what’s on the end of everyone’s fork”
Burroughs et al. (2003).
3
Many social institutions don’t want sex to be studied
Phoenix (1961). “Research on the relationships between the hormones and sexual behavior has not been pursued with the vigor justified by the biological, medical, and sociological importance of the subject. Explanation may lie in the stigma any activity associated with sexual behavior has long borne. In our experience, restraint has been requested in the use of the word sex in institutional records and in the title of research proposals. We vividly recollect that the propriety of presenting certain data at scientific meetings and seminars was questioned.”
Many social institutions don’t want sex to be studied
Phoenix (1961). “Research on the relationships between the hormones and sexual behavior has not been pursued with the vigor justified by the biological, medical, and sociological importance of the subject. Explanation may lie in the stigma any activity associated with sexual behavior has long borne. In our experience, restraint has been requested in the use of the word sex in institutional records and in the title of research proposals. We vividly recollect that the propriety of presenting certain data at scientific meetings and seminars was questioned.”
Locating Strategic Research Funds for Sexuality Science: An Exploratory Guide
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Locating+strategic+research+funds+for+sexuality+science:+an...-a0154757389
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.) “Investigators should ideally start with the question: ‘what is the sensitivity level of my particular research area?’ If a researcher wishes to investigate, for example, ‘health risks of engaging in BDSM’, searching federal, or state and even local health sources is probably not going to be successful. Such agencies normally do not fund such relatively sensitive inquiry. Conversely, a wide variety of private organizations and foundations may be quite interested in such research if it advances knowledge and safer practices among the population who practice such unique sexual activities.”
http://www.thefreelibrary.com/Locating+strategic+research+funds+for+sexuality+science:+an...-a0154757389
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.) “Investigators should ideally start with the question: ‘what is the sensitivity level of my particular research area?’ If a researcher wishes to investigate, for example, ‘health risks of engaging in BDSM’, searching federal, or state and even local health sources is probably not going to be successful. Such agencies normally do not fund such relatively sensitive inquiry. Conversely, a wide variety of private organizations and foundations may be quite interested in such research if it advances knowledge and safer practices among the population who practice such unique sexual activities.”
Pfaus et al. (2003). “All too often our questions are obscured by scientific blinders and constrained by research review committees. with certain moral limitations imposed by ethics review boards and government agencies pressured to enforce ‘community standards.’ ”
Farmer and Binik (2005). “There are far more graduate training opportunities in psychology departments for the study of depression than for the study of sexual disorders. This is surprising considering the high prevalence of sexual dysfunction compared to that of depression.” “Mainstream psychologists have not pursued sexology with the enthusiasm aimed at other areas of psychological research. Ambivalence is evident in the ideological marginalization of sexology by mainstream psychology.”
http://entertainment.timesonline.co.uk/tol/arts_and_entertainment/books/book_extracts/article7060908.ece
. “I always take it for granted that sexual moralising by public figures is a sign of hypocrisy or worse, and most usually a desire to perform the very act that is most being condemned. This is why, whenever I hear some bigmouth in Washington or the Christian heartland banging on about the evils of sodomy or whatever, I mentally enter his name in my notebook and contentedly set my watch. Sooner rather than later he will be discovered down on his knees in some dreary motel or latrine, with an expired Visa card, having tried to pay well over the odds to be peed upon by some Apache transvestite.”
. “I always take it for granted that sexual moralising by public figures is a sign of hypocrisy or worse, and most usually a desire to perform the very act that is most being condemned. This is why, whenever I hear some bigmouth in Washington or the Christian heartland banging on about the evils of sodomy or whatever, I mentally enter his name in my notebook and contentedly set my watch. Sooner rather than later he will be discovered down on his knees in some dreary motel or latrine, with an expired Visa card, having tried to pay well over the odds to be peed upon by some Apache transvestite.”
3
“But if you’re studying sex”
Personal e-mail communication, August 12, 2010.
“But if you’re studying sex”
Personal e-mail communication, August 12, 2010.
3
only one scientist has managed to survey a large number of people on a broad range of sexual interests
http://sexademic.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/before-there-was-kinsey-mosherdavis-and-dickinson-surveyed-victorian-sex/
, retrieved on August 30, 2010. Dr. Katharine Davis worked in New York as a corrections officer and social reformer during the early 1900s. Sexual studies were not the focus of her career, but in 1929 she published the results of 2,200 sexual questionnaires filled out by educated women. Dr. Robert Latou Dickinson was an East Coast gynecologist and researcher during the early twentieth century. He studied sexuality in marriage, personal sexual histories of his female patients, and was one of the first doctors to use vibrators on female patients. In his survey of one thousand married women he found that they most frequently complained about failure to reach orgasm and that obstacles to sexual pleasure were primarily inorganic, i.e., not physiological in nature.
only one scientist has managed to survey a large number of people on a broad range of sexual interests
http://sexademic.wordpress.com/2010/03/19/before-there-was-kinsey-mosherdavis-and-dickinson-surveyed-victorian-sex/
, retrieved on August 30, 2010. Dr. Katharine Davis worked in New York as a corrections officer and social reformer during the early 1900s. Sexual studies were not the focus of her career, but in 1929 she published the results of 2,200 sexual questionnaires filled out by educated women. Dr. Robert Latou Dickinson was an East Coast gynecologist and researcher during the early twentieth century. He studied sexuality in marriage, personal sexual histories of his female patients, and was one of the first doctors to use vibrators on female patients. In his survey of one thousand married women he found that they most frequently complained about failure to reach orgasm and that obstacles to sexual pleasure were primarily inorganic, i.e., not physiological in nature.
http://www.stanfordalumni.org/news/magazine/2010/marapr/features/mosher.html
, retrieved on August 30, 2010. Dr. Clelia Duel Mosher conducted possibly the first known female sexual attitudes survey in 1892 in the Midwest. Her study was meant to fill her own knowledge gaps for a married life presentation for the Mothers Club of the University of Wisconsin. She created forty-five sexual profiles that offer a peek into Victorian female sexuality, affirming that the public record of values often disappears in private conduct. The majority of women in the forty-five profiles reported enjoying sex and experiencing sexual desire.
, retrieved on August 30, 2010. Dr. Clelia Duel Mosher conducted possibly the first known female sexual attitudes survey in 1892 in the Midwest. Her study was meant to fill her own knowledge gaps for a married life presentation for the Mothers Club of the University of Wisconsin. She created forty-five sexual profiles that offer a peek into Victorian female sexuality, affirming that the public record of values often disappears in private conduct. The majority of women in the forty-five profiles reported enjoying sex and experiencing sexual desire.
3–4
Alfred Kinsey
Jones (1997).
Alfred Kinsey
Jones (1997).
4
“Too darn hot”
Lyrics taken from
http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/e/ellafitzgerald1351/toodarnhot862082.html
, retrieved on August 28, 2010.
“Too darn hot”
Lyrics taken from
http://www.stlyrics.com/songs/e/ellafitzgerald1351/toodarnhot862082.html
, retrieved on August 28, 2010.
4
Kinsey was denounced
Jones (1997).
http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/about/Movie-facts.html
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
Kinsey was denounced
Jones (1997).
http://www.kinseyinstitute.org/about/Movie-facts.html
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
4
The eighteen thousand men and women
The eighteen thousand figure is from the Kinsey Institute:
http://www.iub.edu/~kinsey/about/photo-tour.html
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
The eighteen thousand men and women
The eighteen thousand figure is from the Kinsey Institute:
http://www.iub.edu/~kinsey/about/photo-tour.html
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
5
many intellectual heirs of Richard von Krafft-Ebing have been pilloried
Some examples: the reaction to J. Michael Bailey’s
The Man Who Would Be Queen
, Susan Clancy’s
The Trauma Myth
, Randy Thornhill and Craig Palmer’s
A Natural History of Rape
, and E. O. Wilson’s
Sociobiology
. Also, the University of Illinois firing Leo Koch.
many intellectual heirs of Richard von Krafft-Ebing have been pilloried
Some examples: the reaction to J. Michael Bailey’s
The Man Who Would Be Queen
, Susan Clancy’s
The Trauma Myth
, Randy Thornhill and Craig Palmer’s
A Natural History of Rape
, and E. O. Wilson’s
Sociobiology
. Also, the University of Illinois firing Leo Koch.
5
The 1971 Stanford prison experiment
Zimbardo (2007).
The 1971 Stanford prison experiment
Zimbardo (2007).
5
The 1960s Milgram obedience experiments
Miller (1986).
The 1960s Milgram obedience experiments
Miller (1986).
5
“What do people do under conditions of extreme anonymity?”
Gergen et al. (1973),
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com./1995-11-12/features/9511100325_1_james-latona-computer-networkanonymous-internet/4
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
“What do people do under conditions of extreme anonymity?”
Gergen et al. (1973),
http://articles.sun-sentinel.com./1995-11-12/features/9511100325_1_james-latona-computer-networkanonymous-internet/4
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
6
a much, much, much larger version of the Gergen experiment
Cooper (1998).
a much, much, much larger version of the Gergen experiment
Cooper (1998).
Anonymity is one of the A’s in Al Cooper’s “Triple A engine” (accessibility, affordability, anonymity) often cited as driving Internet porn use.
7
Rule #34
Peter’s story was communicated through e-mail during 2009–2010. The original comic is visible at
http://rule34.blogspot.com/2007/06/first-post.html
.
Rule #34
Peter’s story was communicated through e-mail during 2009–2010. The original comic is visible at
http://rule34.blogspot.com/2007/06/first-post.html
.
7
“Rule 34 Challenge”
The competition is described at
http://boingboing.net2008/04/18/irc-game-rule-34-cha.html
.
“Rule 34 Challenge”
The competition is described at
http://boingboing.net2008/04/18/irc-game-rule-34-cha.html
.
7
“ ‘Specify type of goat’ ”
From Richard Jeni’s
A Big Steaming Pile of Me
.
“ ‘Specify type of goat’ ”
From Richard Jeni’s
A Big Steaming Pile of Me
.
8
ninety different adult magazines
Based on lists of pornographic magazines provided on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pornographic_magazines
and
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/List_of_pornographic_magazines
, both retrieved on August 30, 2010.
ninety different adult magazines
Based on lists of pornographic magazines provided on
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_pornographic_magazines
and
http://www.absoluteastronomy.com/topics/List_of_pornographic_magazines
, both retrieved on August 30, 2010.
8
nine hundred pornography sites
Stack et al. (2004).
nine hundred pornography sites
Stack et al. (2004).
8
2.5
million
adult Web sites
http://www.cybersitter.com/
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
2.5
million
adult Web sites
http://www.cybersitter.com/
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
8
sex-related online activities have become routine
Doring (2009).
sex-related online activities have become routine
Doring (2009).
8
you can see more naked bodies in a single minute
“I can download 3 million vaginas in one minute.” Louis C.K,
Chewed Up
.
you can see more naked bodies in a single minute
“I can download 3 million vaginas in one minute.” Louis C.K,
Chewed Up
.
8
We no longer have to interact with
anyone
to obtain erotica
http://gizmodo.com/5316206/the-desperate-times-before-internet-porn/gallery/#pager
, retrieved on August 30, 2010. Also worth considering:
http://getahead.rediff.com/report/2009/aug/12/videos-sex-porn-top-kids-internet-searches.htm
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
We no longer have to interact with
anyone
to obtain erotica
http://gizmodo.com/5316206/the-desperate-times-before-internet-porn/gallery/#pager
, retrieved on August 30, 2010. Also worth considering:
http://getahead.rediff.com/report/2009/aug/12/videos-sex-porn-top-kids-internet-searches.htm
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
9
an actual search someone entered on the Dogpile search engine
Dogpile searches were collected by scraping displayed searches on
http://www.dogpile.com/dogpile/ws/searchspy
. Also worth considering is the following list of the most common Dogpile searches that start with “how to”:
an actual search someone entered on the Dogpile search engine
Dogpile searches were collected by scraping displayed searches on
http://www.dogpile.com/dogpile/ws/searchspy
. Also worth considering is the following list of the most common Dogpile searches that start with “how to”:
9
a popular term for unusual sexual interests:
kinks
See
http://www.urbandictionary.com
.
a popular term for unusual sexual interests:
kinks
See
http://www.urbandictionary.com
.
10
David Reimer
Colapinto (2001).
http://www.slate.com/id/2101678
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
http://reason.com/archives/2004/05/24/the-death-of-david-reimer
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
David Reimer
Colapinto (2001).
http://www.slate.com/id/2101678
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
http://reason.com/archives/2004/05/24/the-death-of-david-reimer
, retrieved on August 30, 2010.
11
Dr. John Money of Johns Hopkins University
Ogi Ogas previously interviewed John Money, though not about David Reimer, in Ogas (1994).
Dr. John Money of Johns Hopkins University
Ogi Ogas previously interviewed John Money, though not about David Reimer, in Ogas (1994).
12
a report on fourteen genetic males who underwent neonatal sex reassignment
Reiner & Gearhart (2004). Also personal communication with William Reiner, April 2010.
a report on fourteen genetic males who underwent neonatal sex reassignment
Reiner & Gearhart (2004). Also personal communication with William Reiner, April 2010.
13
the Sambia
Herdt (1982). Herdt (2006), Bancroft (2000).
the Sambia
Herdt (1982). Herdt (2006), Bancroft (2000).
13
semen is the essence of manhood
The idea of semen as male mojo was also expressed by Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts: “Masturbation prevents you from becoming the strong manly man you would otherwise be. You are throwing away the seed that has been handed down to you as a trust instead of keeping it and ripening it for bringing a son to you later on.”
semen is the essence of manhood
The idea of semen as male mojo was also expressed by Robert Baden-Powell, founder of the Boy Scouts: “Masturbation prevents you from becoming the strong manly man you would otherwise be. You are throwing away the seed that has been handed down to you as a trust instead of keeping it and ripening it for bringing a son to you later on.”
13
a Sambian woman
The feminine mojo of Sambian women is believed to reside in their menstrual blood.
a Sambian woman
The feminine mojo of Sambian women is believed to reside in their menstrual blood.
13
“natural experiments”
Diamond (1983). “Natural experiments permit one to examine conditions that cannot be created experimentally and reveal the end results of ecological and evolutionary processes.”
“natural experiments”
Diamond (1983). “Natural experiments permit one to examine conditions that cannot be created experimentally and reveal the end results of ecological and evolutionary processes.”
13
some things we
instinctively
find arousing
A biological male preference for men or women is also supported by Lippa (2007).
some things we
instinctively
find arousing
A biological male preference for men or women is also supported by Lippa (2007).
13
express precisely what they would like to pop up
It’s important to remember that online porn itself may represent the practical aspects of pornography production, such as perceived financial returns, actor availability, ease of production, and other business factors unrelated to the ability to sexually arouse consumers.
express precisely what they would like to pop up
It’s important to remember that online porn itself may represent the practical aspects of pornography production, such as perceived financial returns, actor availability, ease of production, and other business factors unrelated to the ability to sexually arouse consumers.
14
start by looking for patterns in these wishes
“I will focus on the determinants of female sexual attractiveness, not on actual matings, because the former more clearly illuminate the design of the psychological machinery underpinning male sexual attraction. Who men actually mate with depends on many things (such as opportunity and risk) in addition to sexual attraction.” Donald Symons in Abramson and Pinkerton (1995), p88.
start by looking for patterns in these wishes
“I will focus on the determinants of female sexual attractiveness, not on actual matings, because the former more clearly illuminate the design of the psychological machinery underpinning male sexual attraction. Who men actually mate with depends on many things (such as opportunity and risk) in addition to sexual attraction.” Donald Symons in Abramson and Pinkerton (1995), p88.
14
400 million different searches that were entered into the Dogpile
We collected 398,944,925 searches. We classified 55,170,457 of the searches as “sexual.” We scraped from July 10, 2009, to July 28, 2010. We missed some days in September, for a total of 352 days of scraping.
400 million different searches that were entered into the Dogpile
We collected 398,944,925 searches. We classified 55,170,457 of the searches as “sexual.” We scraped from July 10, 2009, to July 28, 2010. We missed some days in September, for a total of 352 days of scraping.
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