Natural Sexuality

                                                  

Love is like a Butterfly. Meditation Photography. Web. Accessed Dec. 2010.

Is homosexuality natural? That depends on what you define as "natural". If you prefer to define "natural" to mean "within the nature of a thing", then it is. Despite our protests, all things do what is in their natures to do. Homosexuality is natural in the sense that it has always existed and is not limited to human beings but occurs in other animals. The question of homosexuality in nature is somewhat moot because there is a list of things that are natural and yet have no purpose. According to recent studies of homosexual animals observed in nature and captivity, especially in mammals, it would seem homosexuality is a perfectly natural occurrence since it often occurs in species we do not see as having enough intelligence or subtlety to make a "choice" in the matter, but rather follow their instincts to where they lead

  Homosexuality has always been an existing trait found within a part of the human population. Their has been examples of it throughout history, including the Romans and Ancient Greece. “the noble lover of beauty engages in love wherever he sees excellence and splendid natural endowment without regard for any difference in physiological detail” (Homosexuality). Homosexual sex has been very present throughout history, and often very accepted. But at the same time, homosexual "lifestyles" (wanting to live and share your life solely with the same sex) has rarely been accepted that's something very modern. Most ancient societies that were accepting of homosexual had very big rules and regulations and conditions. The older mentor and younger protege format in ancient Greece, for example, were allowed so long as you still loved women, still got married to a woman and raised a family. Homosexuality was deemed to be unnatural when there was a sudden rise in Christianity. 

     

African Plains. WordPress: Photo Murals. Web. Accessed Dec. 2010.

Besides, naturally speaking if it was anti-natural for humans, we would not be able to do it. It would be impossible. We would not have the capacity. To believe in natural laws, individuals must understand that we cannot break them, and are tied by them. We cannot be unnatural, such is outside our ability. Its like flying, we cannot do it without mechanical assistance. So saying that humans being gay is unnatural is like saying that there's humans that can fly. Regardless of how we end up feeling about the situation, though, it seems that creative forces behind the Universe have larger and more complex plans for sexuality than mere reproduction can account for, and that nature will continue being true to itself even if we do not care for its plans.

First of all, the concept of homosexuality is not new. Their has been examples of it throughout history, and it is currently being displayed between many different species of animals, primarily social animals. The best overall summary of most respected researchers is that homosexuality (like most other psychological conditions) is due to a combination of social, biological, and psychological factors. There are not many people who believe there is a gay gene right now, but it is not impossible. "the genetic factors behind sexuality and sexual orientation, notes that it may turn out that the brains of gay men possess only some 'feminized' structures, while retaining some masculine ones, and this is reflected in how they act on their sexuality" (Park). The implications that biology plays a role in homosexuality are strong, though. Most believe it starts in the womb. Either stress or having multiple children, especially a family with a lot of boys born previously, creates a gay child. 

                             About the Lemur. The Zoo Society. Web. Accessed Dec. 2 2010.

Perhaps it does not have to with each individual, but the whole species as a group. Maybe if there were no gay individuals in any species, then the struggle for mating rights would destroy the population. Lets say that if a small fraction of the population is gay, the pressure during the mating season would be less, leading to a higher probability of birth and survival of young ones. Procreation is necessary for the species to continue, but with 8 billion people on the planet now, procreation is not the biggest concern for survival. For the species to continue people need to "back off" from the high breeding rate, before we consume all of Earth's natural resources. The population cannot keep growing like this, we will eventually run out of room, and perhaps homosexuality is the answer to "slow down" this ever increasing breeding rate. Think about it, overpopulation is a huge issue, and maybe the increase in homosexuality is that humans do not need to reproduce as much anymore, and to help control the population, gay people were produced. 

So is homosexuality natural? Some would say that homosexuality is perfectly normal, always has been and can be found in many species, not just in humans. Homosexuals have existed for a long time, all over the world. There are currently millions of people who engage in the same committed relationships practiced by heterosexuals. There have been studies showing that homosexual men have the same physiological effects as heterosexual women when given stimuli of attractive men. So, the decision to engage in a homosexual relationship is comes from the same instincts heterosexuals have, and is not a conscious effort to repress heterosexual urges.

Work Cited

Abrams, Michael. The Real Story on Gay Genes. Dicover: Science, Technology, and the Future. June 2007 issue. 

Coghlan, Andy. Survival of Genetic Homosexual Traits Explained . New Scientist: Life. Web. 13 October 2004. <http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn6519>.

Homosexuality. Stanford Encyclopedia of Philosophy. Web. 26 Nov. 2006. <http:// plato.stanford.edu/entries/homosexuality/>.

Mondimore, Francis Mark. A Natural History of Homosexuality. The Johns Hopkins University Press. Baltimore, Maryland: 1996. 

Owen, James. Homosexual Activity Among Animals Stirs Debate. National Geographic News. Web. 23 July 2004. <http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/ 2004/07/0722_040722_gayanimal.html>.

Park, Alice. What the Gay Brain Looks Like. Time. Web. 17 June 2008. <http://www.time.com/ time/health/article/0,8599,1815538,00.html>.

Greatest Hits- Hilary

Hilary

I enjoyed reading all of your post you presented in your blog. You are a great writer and have a unique style of writing that allows you to get your ideas across in an understandable way. In a lot of your post you displayed a great voice and creative thoughts, which makes reading your posts delightful to read. The posts that I really enjoyed reading and I think would be great for your final essay were German Influence, Women in Music, and Animal Homosexuality. 

I thought the way you wrote German Influence was very creative and had a great base for you to start up an essay. While reading this post I did not realize the amount of impact German culture has had on today's economy. You did a great job explaining the three major contributions, which were movies, foods, and customs.  

I really like the way your wrote Women in Music. This post had a great voice and displayed some very compelling ideas. In this post you made a point that the music industry likes to go out of their way to justify the negative portrayal of women. In today's society if you are a women and do not accept this kind of music, your considered or labeled an outcast. I think you did a great job getting your points across to your audience. I particularly liked this post because you made so many good arguments, which kept me wanting to read more. 

Animal Homosexuality, I think you be great for your final essay because it was well written and has such a great base to work from. You have a great voice, ideas, and a really strong source that comes from Jeffrey Kluger's "The Gay Side of Nature," and with a bit more research and think this post could be a brilliant final essay. 

Greatest Hits- Tasha

Tasha

I really enjoyed reading through your posts for this semester. You have a creative way of writing that I found highly entertaining. You have a great voice throughout your posts and I got of sense of your personality through you're writing. The posts that really stood out to me were Can't But Me Love, Corrupted Sounds a lot Like Corporation, and Do We Need Monogamous, Heterosexual Relationships. 

I really liked that way you started off Can't Buy Me Love, it just immediately grabbed my attention. The introduction was creative and set the tone for the rest of the post. I completely agree with the statement you made in the beginning of your post, that materialism has made this country what it is today. I thought this post was very well put together and had some great ideas. 

I enjoyed reading Corrupted Sounds A Lot Like Corporation because it was creative and entertaining. I like that you gave example of current musician in today's music to get your points across. You had a lot of strong ideas and I think with a bit more research this post would make a great final essay. 

Do we need monogamous, heterosexual relationships? I think is probably one of your strongest posts. It was structured very well, and it was informative and entertaining all at the same time. You had great opinions throughout your post. I also agree with a lot of your statements, that the human being no longer need monogamous relationships to reproduce. But we do need marriage and monogamous relationships to establish strong relationships and finding love. I think this post would make a great final essay. 

Week 12 Blog Reviews

April:

In the beginning of your Control vs Freedom post, you stated that you did not know a lot about politics and government and with that being said, I think you did a pretty good job with this post, considering that you knew so little. You had some good ideas and with a bit more research this post  has the potential to be great. 

I really enjoyed reading your 11/4 post. You had a great opener in the beginning and it immediately grabbed my attention. The quotes that you used from the reading were placed well and enhanced you''re writing. I think you did a really good job with this post, keep up the great work. 

Morgan:

I enjoyed your WWII and Finance post. You had some great ideas and they were executed well, throughout you''re writing. Your post was very well organized and flowed nicely to one idea to the next. The only thing I would add is a good attention getter in the beginning but other than that, I enjoyed reading this post. Great Job. Your Ultimate Freedom and Human Morality post was very well put together. Your ideas were clear and well written. I like that you added a personal experience  to get your point across. I agree with you that many reside somewhere in the middle of libertarianism and complete governmental control, I know I certainly do.

Finance by the Numbers

Sorry, 
There will be no post today... I am not feeling well :(

Brave New World

Libertarianism is an abstract politcal concept, not an actual party or party line. They advocate a much smaller government; one that is limited to protecting individuals from coercion and violence. Libertarians tend to embrace individual responsibility, oppose government bureaucracy and taxes, promote private charity, tolerate diverse lifestyles, support the free market, and defend civil liberties. You could describe a party as Libertarian, however. A Libertarian party would hold the common belief that an individual should be as free to run their own life as possible. Obviously in modern times you do not get pure Libertarian parties because in essence they support the idea that we do not need political parties to be governed.

Libertarians support maximum liberty in both personal and economic matters. Libertarianism does not work in theory, because it is not backed by empirical practice, it eschews any responsibility for any of its failures, on all subjects, circumstances, and under all conditions. Libertarians want the least amount of government interference in their lives as possible. They want you, the people, to make decisions based on your personal interests, not government's interest.

I've never felt I had to pick a political party to align myself with and owe them some kind of allegiance. My friends and family have voted for, campaigned for, and worked for different parties, always basing it on the candidate. It mystifies me how so many people can defend every element in their party's platform when that platform was constructed in an arbitrary manner. My views generally encompasses about half the positions from each of the two major parties with maybe a smidge of the Libertarian. I also take many character issues into account and I believe in doing some deep researching, interviewing, asking, etc about a party even if it's asking another person's view on that party. Remember that as a citizens we need to vote, and when we vote put America before any political party and we will do okay.

Week 11 Blog Reviews

April 

I completely agree with you're Purchasing Happiness post. Society as a whole thrives off consumption and material goods. The quotes from the reading help back up your thoughts and supported your argument. 

I really enjoyed your American Italians post. I liked how you connected with the audience by describing your families journey in America. Your introduction was great, I felt like I was right there with your Nona in the back of the store moving boxes. Your intro really grabbed my attention and made me want to read more. You also displaced  an incredible voice, while reading I could imagine every word, great job this week.

Morgan

I liked your 10/28 post. Obviously you did a lot of research and it is displayed well through your post. Your introduction was structured really well, it had a lot of interesting facts. But I will say that it could use a good attention getter it was a but dull in the beginning. I like that you added a personal touch to the post, by describing your friends experience living in North Dakota.   

I really enjoyed reading your Never Good Enough post, it was very interesting. You presented the positive and some negative effects to materialism. I also like that you went through the history and how materialism came to thrive in our society. I think you did a great job this week can't wait to read more. 

An African American Economy

The Africans were brought to America and striped of their culture. Very few people know that Africans were among the first people to develop civilizations and nation states. They had a good salt and gold trade so their economy was good. Once they arrived to America they were striped of their culture and taught that black was inferior. Kids were separated from their parents as they were treated like cattle and passed from one plantation to the next as slave owners bought and traded slaves. 

America became a large industrial nation-through its doctrine of 200 plus years of slavery, it was thorough its serves and ideology that made the United States what it is today, without it, many people doubt it would have the financial clout that it has today. After the abolishment of slavery many freed became well-educated and invented in products that bettered the American economy and processes. Yes, people lost the free labor in the fields and household, but it's a small price to pay for some the things that came out of the freedom of African Americans. 

After 1865, the Afro Americans were still searching for freedom within human rights which consisted of same pay conditions, without racial segregation, rights to vote, etc. The mainifestation of their voices eventaully broke out through gospel music, blues, jazz and rock n roll, raking in billions of dollars for record companies.One of the many great contribution blacks made to America was through the Arts: music, dance, theatre and later literature, which hence in later years influenced new movements throughout the world.

America is what it is today from the contributions of all its ethnicities. No matter how great or how small. This is what makes us so strong. Our diversity. African Americans played a large part but not the only part and surely not the most important part.

A Material World

This country has always been about materialism since the industrial revolution which has lead to the capitalist title of our economy. Materialism has become a way of life, the more we have the more we want. Where does it end? When is enough, enough? We live in such a specialized economy we have access to things we would never be able to have if we were all self-sufficient producers. As people we access to the the best that money can buy; luxury cars, computers, big flat screen televisions, cellphones, and designer clothing. Many of these items have become a basic necessity or need and have made life comfortable and or convenient for our current society. 

But materialism comes at a high price. The negatives are much harder to see and sometimes take time to accumulate, especially since we are blind as to the production and logistics. This greed and materialism leads the seller to often lie to the buyer who has unreal expectations of what a particular product will deliver. One ends up with personal immorality and the other with dissatisfaction and disappointment and frustration. Because of materialism, many people are constantly searching for the newest and or best thing so they forget to look at what's already there and appreciate it. And because the bar is constantly being raised for what is the newest and best, people become depressed that they're so far behind and can't keep up. This obviously leads to crime, as people try harder and harder to get what they can't afford. In my opinion materialism has caused our society to become more and more depressed and stressed and has made the path to happiness harder to find.

When we realize there is a whole lot more to life than what is seen with the naked eye, then we do not desire the things of this world anymore. Excessive greed and materialism have lead to desires and attachments to that which does not last, wanting more than we need and misinterpreting "wants" as "needs". Materialism has long been a plague that humankind has sought to over come without apparent success.

Week 10 Blog Reviews

Morgan Paulson

Immigration and Cultural Music Trends:

I enjoyed reading your Immigration and Cultural Music Trends post. You started off strong which immediately grabbed my attention and made me want to keep reading. You displayed a nice even flow through-out you're writing, which made it easy to read. I also like that you raised some very interesting points, I can tell that you really understood your subject matter. I noticed that you did not give any current examples in today's music that would back-up your claims, and you also had a few grammar errors with a few misplaced comas, but other than that you did a good job on this post.  

High-Heeled Madness: 

Your High Heeled Madness was very entertaining. The telling of your story flowed nicely and made me feel like I was right there with you. You did a great job describing and sequencing events. I am also tall, 5'10, so I could really relate to your story with the high heel and towering over everyone. Its one of the reasons why I stick to flats, converses, flip-flops, and anything with a low heel. I really enjoyed reading this post. 

April Page 

Product Failure:

I enjoyed reading your Product Failures post. I can really relate to your story about your phone. My phone does some of the same things. I will be talking or texting someone and the next moment I am staring at a blank screen, its one of the worst things about having a cellphone. You did a great job describing your events, it did however get a little confusing at the end. For me it wasn't clear if the guard or the fall was the reason for your teammates broken ankle. But other than that you did a great job with this post. 

Corporations and Creativity

In the past 40 years, the music industry has gone from hundreds if not thousands of regional recording companies searching for local talent played on local radio stations, whereas now there are six main labels that control all national distribution to major record store chains. The major distributors consist of Capitol-EMI, CBS, RCA, Polygram, MCA, and Warner. These record companies have become more concerned with making money than actually making good music. They achieve this by catering to the lowest common denominator. That's why the public continues to steal music from them by downloading songs illegally because who wants to pay for an entire album when there are only 1 or 2 good songs on that album. That's why ipods are so popular because people want to listen to their own music rather than the radio which plays all the same songs that passes off as music these days.

These music chains have such a hold on mainstream music and radio that it is becoming harder for talent to shine. The quality isn't really declining. The problem is that you won't hear many new artists, or older ones for that matter if they don't fit a certain genre that is radio friendly. When you talk about music in the 60s, it was very free form radio. Any half way decent station would be willing to take a chance and play anything that sounded good. Didn't matter who the artist was or what type of music it was. This is how some of the best musicians of the time got to be known. 

It all comes down to money. If a radio station is willing to pass the big bucks for good talent, it's out there waiting to be heard. Sadly money rules the airwaves. It is all about making that almighty dollar, not that it wasn't always like that to some degree, but not at the cost of creativity and producing real quality music. Whatever happened to the good old Rock n' Roll? In the sixities and seventies musicians used to form bands, write songs, tour there butts off, gather a following, and eventually garner the interest of a record company that would help them distribute their sounds.

I think its time that music returned to some of its earlier roots. A time when most of the record companies were ran by people who liked music just as much as the money they could make and this allowed musical creativitiy to flourish. Instead of nowadays, were record compainies are all consumed with big profits.

The Book and the Buck

In today’s society our technology is more advanced than ever before. So far advanced is our society, that we can easily use cell phones to speak to anyone, anywhere and at any time. For example, we can use cell phones while driving, or speak to someone in another country. We can use them in the business world to conduct meetings or to rely vital information to co-workers or to conduct trade with other businesses. Today’s American culture relies heavily on the use of cell phones. The recent growth of  cellular phone usage is a phenomena that defies all gender, racial, and age boundaries. Cell phones are more than just the latest electronic gadget on the market. They are essential parts of our business and personal lives. 

So when my manager Sara bought her "chatty Kathy" of a son a pre-paid cell phone for emergency purposes only. This way, no matter what, her and her husband could reach him. To their surprise, he did a great in using the phone for its intended purpose. Ten minutes lasted all the way up until the expiration date. Those minutes were due to expire on September 9th. So that day, she picked up a pre-paid card. Her son added the minutes, they were accepted, and then he texted his mom to let her know he'd put them in. Later that evening (all this happened in the same day), a company that begins with an A and ends in a T de-activated the phone. Sara called and was informed that she would now have to go and purchase another sim card because she waited too long to add new minutes. Sara asked why she was never informed and the representative told her that she should have been notified by a recording. Sara informed the rep that she never heard this recording and was told that her son should have. She then asked to speak to a manager. After being put on hold for over fifteen minutes, the manager never came. Instead, the rep came back on and argued that she never added minutes. When Sara informed her of the date they were added, the rep put her on hold again. When she came back on, she acknowledged the new minutes but informed her that there was no guarantee on what time the de-activation would take place. It could be anytime within 24 hours of that expiration date. The rep also explained there was nothing she could do until Sara went out and purchased another sim card. To put it nicely Sara was outraged. She asked to know where this was explained in the booklet that came with the phone and the rep became rather rude and told her that it doesn't have to and that it was her fault for being stupid enough to give a prepaid phone to a teenager.

Since the phone call, Sara has filed complaints with the FCC, who does regulate Wireless Telecommunications and she posted a blog and emails everywhere and anywhere until she get some sort of resolution for this. She is trying to get others that have encountered this same sort of problem with this phone company. She suggests they do the same before this becomes the "norm". Forcing a consumer to purchase additional products just to keep the products they purchased working as promised is wrong and against the law.

Week 8 Blog Reviews

Justin:

Post 10/5 was well thought-out and organized. I agree with a lot of what you wrote. The increased divorce rate and infidelity its hard to support the idea of monogamy as the social norm. I enjoyed reading your 10/7 post. You used the quotes from the reading very well and there was a nice flow to your essay as well. You had a lot of interesting points, especially at the end of your essay. You state that we have to fully understand homosexuality in order to fully understand its social and natural purposes. I thought that that particular statement was very cleaver and enlightening. The one thing I would change about your essay, is that there was a lot of facts, next time try to elaborate on those facts so that the audience gets an understanding of the material. 

Armando:

I enjoyed reading your 10/5 post. You're writing was clear and your ideas were well thought-out. Post 10/7 was interesting to read, you really made your personal opinions known at the end. But, you really didn't share your thought on what the author wrote, you just sort of summarized the article. I would have really liked you to gone more in depth and shared your opinions on the authors findings. I know you didn't really agree with the Kluger ideas, and I think because your viewpoints were so different this post would have been amazing to read. 

Animal Anomalies

Is homosexuality natural? That depends on what you define as "natural". If you prefer to define "natural" to mean "within the nature of a thing", then it is. Despite our protestations, all things do what is in their natures to do. According to recent studies of homosexual animals observed in nature and captivity, especially in mammals, it would seem homosexuality is a perfectly natural occurrence since it often occurs in species we do not see as having enough intelligence or subtlety to make a "choice" in the matter, but rather follow their instincts to where they lead. 

Besides, naturally speaking, if it was anti-natural for humans, we wouldn't be able to do it. It would be impossible. We would not have the capacity. If you believe in natural laws, then you must understand that we cannot break them, and are tied by them. We cannot be unnatural, such is outside our ability. It's like flying, we can't do it without mechanical assistance. So saying that humans being gay is unnatural is like saying that there's humans that can fly. Regardless of how we end up feeling about the situation, though, it seems that creative forces behind the Universe have larger and more complex plans for sexuality than mere reproduction can account for, and that nature will continue being true to itself even if we don't care for its plans.

Perhaps it doesn't have to with each individual, but the whole species as a group. Procreation is necessary for the species to continue, but with 8 billion people on the planet now, procreation is not the biggest concern for survival. I believe for the species to continue, we need to "back off" from the high breeding rate as it is now, before we consume all of Earth's natural resources. We just can't keep growing like this, we will run out of room, and perhaps homosexuality is the answer to "slow down" this ever increasing breeding rate.

What’s Chemistry Got to Do With It?

Do you remember the moment you knew you were in love? You looked into your partner's eyes and for a moment, everything was perfect. There was nothing in your relationship to find fault with your mate was beautiful, funny, intelligent, there was no other man or woman in the world that you could imagine being with. 

The beginning of a relationship is infused with chemicals so powerful, that the brain scan of a person who is in love looks similar to that of someone who is clinically insane. Love does that, according to scientists, being "in love" releases chemicals that are so powerful every ounce of reason is lost during those initial stages of romance. Our brains start to release oxytocin, which is like a happy chemical, that allows us grow more sensitive to pheromones from our significant others. Love itself or being in love, helps create the bond between people but many scientists believe that being in love is somewhat of a cruel joke, mainly caused by hormones, dopamine, oxytocin and other brain chemicals. According to science, these chemicals are designed to get people together to procreate, people literally become addicted to 'love'.

This addiction to 'love' would probably have a definite affect on relationship, marriage, and other traditional institutions in society. I think marriage would be hit the hardest from this new scientific view on relationships. Marriage would have no cultural relevance. If marriage were abolished, procreation would be casual and not be taken seriously, and there would no longer be a social stigma to being single.

I believe that science does play a role in establishing physical connections, but love and relationships are mostly based on emotion and chemistry. Love and even relationships, cannot exist without chemistry. Real chemistry consists of strong physical attraction and attraction to mannerisms, tone of voice, the ability to have comfortable and fulfilling conversations, that can bring the two people closer together emotionally. We can use scientific approaches to romance but without chemistry and passion, those in the relationships will not be motivated to do all the hard work needed to nurture that relationship.

Week 7 Blog Reviews

Justin:

9/28-9/30

I really enjoyed reading your post on 9/28. I personally found your story of you helping your brother with his problems a great example. It showed the subtle differences in the way males and female talk with one another. 

I also liked reading your post on marriage, it had very strong opinions and ideas. I agreed with a lot of your views, that marriage is an old traditions that is not really necessary for survival in today's society. I think that you can improve on expanding some of those great ideas. This post was a bit vague you didn't go into great detail. There were also a few spelling mistakes, second paragraph, last sentence you said that, "Divorce is over fifty prevent in this country" and I think you meant to say percent. Other than that you did a really good job. 

Armando:

9/28-9/30

I enjoyed reading your post this week. In your 9/28 post you gave a great example of the differences between males and females, communication between the two can be difficult and awkward at times, and the scenario you wrote showed that perfectly. I think there are a few things you can improve on. I noticed that in both your posts this week your introduction were a bot dull and they could be stronger. Try getting a little more creative with your introduction so that the audience wants to keep reading. 

I liked your 9/30 post it was straight-forward and to the point. You let the audience know the main focus of your essay, the introduction was set up very nicely. One thing I think you can improve on is your transitions between paragraphs, there was no fluidity between your thoughts.

Love, Home Sapien Style

Historically monogamy is a new thing for humans. Humans are, and always will be evolved animals. The human male is designed to be able to impregnate many, and his sexual urges and drives are geared toward that goal. However, studies have shown that women also have the desire and drive to mate with more than one person as the drive is to find the most acceptable gene donor and protector or provider for their offspring. By sampling a large cross-section of their potential mates the human female is "filtering out" the less desirable to the more desirable who shows the strongest of the traits she is attempting to have passed to her offspring. Contrary to the teachings of modern monogamous relationships, humans were not meant to be monogamous, we were meant to use selective process for breeding based upon genetic variables which each is attracted to. The "love" factor is an emotional response which has been attached to the sexual nature in an effort to make humans into something they were never meant to be. As can be evidenced in the fact that polyamorous relationships and marriages are just as healthy and loving as are monogamous ones. 

Human Beings are probably more biologically configured for polygamy. Considering that women typically ovulate about once a month, and typically reach infertility in what we consider to be "middle-aged," while men continuously "produce" sperm throughout their lives.“The human mind was designed for the purpose of transmitting genes to the next generation; feelings of lust, no less that the sex organs, are here because they aided reproduction directly” (Wright 280). The benefit of polygamy, would be an increase of chance in spreading ones genes. According to evolutionary psychologists, polygamy can be determined by weighing of the males testicles. By looking at the great apes our nearest cousin, there seems to be a direct relationship between sexual promiscuity and the size of male sexual organs. Chimps are very promiscuous and 'competition is fierce', and their organs are very big compared to their body size. Gorillas on the other hand have very small genitals in comparison, leaving human beings somewhere in the middle.

Overall humans are not a monogamous species. It's only been the past several thousand years we've tried to become one. Monogamy was just not in the best interest of survival of our species and therefore we really are not hardwired for it. Men are programmed to impregnant as many women as possible, women to be a little more monogamous, but, highly superficial. They are designed to go for bread winners of the bunch, and all of this is about biology, designed to keep the human line going. However, many people today do maintain monogamy, whether it's for personal beliefs or conforming to current cultural beliefs. 

He Said/She Said

Having conversations with the opposite sex can at times be very difficult. Many people probably find it frustrating to start conversations or keep them going with the opposite sex. Males and females are different. This is not a new idea. No matter how old we are, we still get confused and frustrated in attempts to interact with the opposite sex. Men and women are raised in different cultures and have difficulty in communicating with the opposite sex. In Deborah Tannen's Sex, Lies, and Conversions, she explains why there are often time conflicts in a discussions between males and females. She goes into details as to how we differ, why we differ, and how we can overcome our differences in communicating so that we can have healthier and better relationships with each other.

One night I was watching a program were a girl was unset with her roommates, who were in relationships, who were sleeping in the same bed with on another. She felt uncomfortable with the idea of her roommates sleeping in the same bed together. I tell my friend about this scenario and he says, "There's nothing wrong with that, they're only friends." He had no problem with the idea of two people from the opposite sex, with girlfriend/boyfriend, sharing a bed. We then had an argument on whether or not it was appropriate for a boy and a girl, who calm their just friends to sleep in the same bed with one another.

According to Tannen, males and females perceive the world differently. Guys tend to see themselves in a hierarchal pattern. They live in a social order, life is often seen as a contest, and conversations are for status. Meanwhile, women tend to see themselves has a community and seek intimacy and understanding. Therefore, conversations are for supporting and consensus. There are few misunderstandings and sparks fly when males talk to males and females talk to females. The reason, according to Tannen, is we understand the world and language of our gender.

Week 6 Blog Reviews

Justin

Directed Freewrite:

Your post was well written and had great voice. But, there are a few thing I would suggest. Your transitions from paragraph to paragraph were a bit disjointed, you leaped from one idea to the other. You gave the audience a lot of questions but no real answers. Other than that you had some great ideas and combined them well with the author's main points from the article.

Real Wild Men:

Training Day was a great example of a Real Wild Men. You described Denzel Washington's character in the film extremely well. Your thoughts were well organized and clear. You gave great examples from the film to support your ideas  and thoughts. From you're writing I could tell that you understood the movie and the reading well. 

Armando

Capitalism and Identity:

I really liked this post. It shows in you're writing that you really understood the article by John D'Emilio. You had great voice and smooth transitions throughout your essay which made it enjoyable to read. You conveyed your thoughts and idea's extremely well.

Real Wild Women/Wild Men:

Your thoughts in this post were clear which made it easy to read. You described the show, Jersey Shore, perfectly. Jersey Shore is the best worst show on television right now. The characters on that show are so likable, but for some reason I can't stop watching. The one thing that I would suggest is to give more specific examples from the show, to show how their Real Wild Women and Men.

Hidden Histories

In John D'Emilio, Capitalism and Gay Identity he suggests that the emergence of the modern homosexual identity is connected with capitalism. The free-labor system specifically allowed large numbers of men and women to call themselves gay, to see themselves as part of a community of similar men and women, and to organize politically on the basis of that identity. D'Emilio also states that the importance of the family as an economic unit was diminished by the expansion of the system of free labor. 

As wage-labor spread, some were able to free themselves from economic dependency on the family, and able to set up alternative kinds of households. Over time, the family gradually lost its status as a unit of production.

In conclusion, this reduction of the economic importance of the family made it possible for sexuality to be freed from the obligations of procreation. D'Emilio also mentioned that the increase in the institution of wage labor, managed to diminish the family's importance as an economic unit, and transformed the family into what is now an affective unit providing sexual and emotional satisfaction and happiness. 

"Real Wild Women"

The movie Kill Bill I think shows an extreme idea of "Real Wild Women." The lead character, played by Uma Thurman, was a member of the Deadly Viper Assassination Squad, lead by her lover Bill. When Thurman's character realizes she is pregnant with Bill's child, she decides to escape her life as a killer. She flees to Texas, met a man, and on the day of they're wedding is gunned down by an angry and jealous Bill. Four years later, Uma Thurman's character wakes from the coma, and discovers that the life and baby she longed for are gone. She then sets out on a revenge mission to kill each member of the squad, especially Bill.  

In Kill Bill, the women are both the heroes and the villains."Female road outlaws have usually been represented either as innocent girlfriends and wives, who stand by their man and suggest the hope of peaceful family alternatives, or as a femme fatale, who betray the male protagonist and the family ideal out of greed" (Boozer). I think that Kill Bill actually represents both of Boozer's female gender roles. The main roles are filled by women with traditional gender expectations and stereotypes. The Bride (Uma Thurman) is pregnant and is thus poised to take on the traditional roles of wife and mother. It is when she is prevented from doing so, by her attack, that she becomes enraged and heartless, as if taking on the role of a mother and wife is what would have made her happy and complete. O-Ren Ishii (Lucy Liu) is the head of Tokyo organized crime, in a reversal of traditional Japanese sex roles. Vernita Green (Vivica A. Fox) plays the traditional housewife and mother role, but is likewise strong and self-assertive, protecting her home and family in the way that a husband might, with violence and physical strength. Despite some of the reversals, the film bears an apparent underlying conventional view on gender and sex roles. 

I think Quentin Tarantino, the writer and director of the film, portrayed his characters as being independent, strong, and a bit feminist in its gender ambiguity. Uma Thurman's character behavior ranges from stereotypical female, as a blushing bride, to a masculine satire as a sword wielding assassin. 

Blog Reviews- Essay 1

Tasha

Your Introduction paragraph was very entertaining. The story you provided in the beginning of your essay was a great way to get your audience attention. It has a good voice and word usage. The only thing that I would say about your intro is that it's a bit short. You could add a little more to the story in the beginning to make it longer. 

Your Body paragraphs, I thought they were very well written. They were structured well, had a great voice and word usage. I like that your essay flows so well, your transitions are spot on. It made reading your essay nice and easy to read. I like that you stated your opinion in areas that were needed, like clarifying an issue for the audience or answering a questions. Your essay had great personality, which made it enjoyable to read. 

Your Conclusion was good. It tied up all the loose ends and provided closure to the audience, it was a great way to end an essay. You didn't provide a work cited, so I cannot tell whether or not your citations were done correctly. Don't forget to provide a Work Cited page for your final draft. 

Katie

Your Introduction was well written. I liked your word usage and the way you used questions to set up your introduction.You provided a connection with your audience by giving your personal views of consciousness, which lead into your thesis statement. Your thesis was clear and well thought out and transitioned nicely into the first body paragraph. 

Your Body paragraphs were well written. They were organized, straightforward, and displayed great voice. Your transitions to the different paragraphs were great, everything flowed smoothly. It made your essay engaging to the audience. Your citations were also used very well, they flowed nicely through the body paragraphs. 

Your Conclusion was good. It wrapped up the essay very nicely. You provided closure to the audience and gave them some things to think about as well. Your Work Cited looks good everything looks like its formated correctly. I would look over them again just to make sure. 

Week 4 Blog Reviews

Lauren Spencer

Lauren I really enjoyed reading your Robotic Beings Rule the World post. You had some great views on the subject, but there were a few things missing from your post. There could have been more to the summary. If I did not read Wright's writing, I don't think I would have understood your post. At time your ideas were a bit disorganized, which mad it hard to read.

Your describtion of Frida's painting, Cristina My Sister, was really well written. I enjoyed reading this post it had amazing details. Your description of the painting was very clear, I could picture every thing your discussed perfectly in my head. I also liked reading your interpretation on the painting as well. You had a great understanding of this particular piece and it was joy to read. 

Tasha Cerimeli

Tasha, on your Can Computers think blog, I believe was some of your best work. Your summary on the reading was really well written. Your post was really well put together and it had great transitions. The flow of the essay, also made reading your work delightful. Your post also had a really nice voice to it as well. 

While describing Kahlo's My Grandparents, My Parents, and I, you also did an outstanding job. The details you provided for the artwork were so clear and amazing, you really helped me understand the different dynamics to the painting. The only thing that you didn't include in this post was your interpretation of the painting, I think I would have enjoyed hearing your thought on this particular piece. 

Katie Kosturik

Katie, in your Can Machines Think blog, I think you did a great job summarizing Wright's writing. If I had not read his essay I would have still understood his concepts and ideas, you explained his writing so well. I also found your opinions on the subject familiar to that of my own. I do not believe machines will be capable of thinking on the same level as humans. I also liked the way you backed up your opinions with facts from the reading, it made you're writing flow very well. 

In your description of Diego and Frida, I felt that you had a great understanding of what the painting represented. I know I would have had a difficult time describing the different aspects of the painting, and you illustrated it with ease. You gave good, clear details, and your interpretation of the artwork was very impressive. I really enjoyed reading your work this week. 

The Broken Column

Frida Kahlo was a unique, ingenious Mexican painter. Frida was a Mexican women who was proud of her culture, and fueled world interest in Mexican artwork. Many of Kahlo's paintings are beautiful, one-of-a-kind images that take the viewer on a wonderful journey. So when it came time to select a piece of her artworks, and give a description, it was hard to pick just one. But this one image in particular just grabbed my attention. This exceptional piece of artwork by Kahlo is called The Broken Column. 

This painting, by the title of it, sounds dark and ominous, but there is something very beautiful and sad about it. In this painting, Frida is naked and the surface of her skin is punctured with sharp nails. Metal nails pierce her face, breasts, and torso, along with some of her upper thigh, which is hidden. In this illustration she peers to be in a constant state of pain and suffering. Her upper thigh is also cloaked around a white cotton cloth. In the center of her body, there is a missing section of flesh, exposing her spinal column. The column looks shattered or broken, like its on the verge of collapsing into rubble. In this painting, it looks as if Kahlo is being held together by a cloth harness or corset, which envelopes around her upper body. On her face there are luminous tears drops, that flow from her eyes as she stands alone. In the background she seems to be in some sort of wasteland or desert, isolated from the rest of the world. At the view of the horizon its clear of any sign of life or hope. 

I found myself infatuated with The Broken Column, because it is so different from anything I have ever seen. The colors used in this artwork are dull and plain, but the way Frida Kahlo used these colors make this image vibrant and full of life. In this particular piece of artwork, you can feel the pain Frida must have felt painting it. Her artwork is so honest and raw, she does not feel the need to censor herself. I really admire that aspect of Kahlo's artwork.

Work Cited

Kahlo, Frida. The Broken Column. 1944. Dolores Olmedo Foundation, Mexico City. ArtyFactory.com. Web. 9 Sept. 2010.