Customer Reviews

Why Is Sex Fun?: The Evolution of Human Sexuality (Science Masters Series)

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2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(4)

 

 

There is a minor truth-in-advertising issue regarding Why Is Sex Fun?: The Evolution of Human Sexuality, by physiologist Jared Diamond: The title question is never really addressed. The true theme seems to be How Sex Came to be Sex as We Know It. Not that this isn't interesting in its own right, of course. It's just that the original question is worthy of discussion too.

Why is Sex Fun? reads like a lecture series rather than a book. Apparently intended to provide the reader with an overview of the latest thinking on the evolutionary aspects of the subject, this short work includes sections on different sexual (and mate) selection strategies employed by males and females (presumably based on unequal "investments" in the methods of getting one's genes into the next generation); lactation (why milk is produced by females, but not, as a rule, males); how and why humans, almost uniquely, came to engage in engage in recreational sex; the unequal domestic roles played by males and females, particularly in child rearing; female menopause (which is, again, nearly unique to humans); and sexual signaling (Diamond considers penis length in human males to be a prime example, but not necessarily a signal directed at females).

As fascinating as these subjects are, there is much more that is left out. Any full discussion of human sexuality, especially with the high-order concept of "fun" in its presumed abstract, needs to deal with that odd species' whole gamut of non-procreational expression: homosexuality, old-age love, and sex-as-power, for non-inclusive example. But Why is Sex Fun? treats the very large subject of recreational sex only from the "selfish gene" point of view. Even then, there is at least one major methodological criticism: Most evolutionary biologists and evolutionary psychologists go to great lengths to bring out the importance of "ancestral environment". That is, gene-based behavioral tendencies have evolved over a great deal of time, so it doesn't do a lot of good to consider them only from the standpoint of a modern participant. This problem crops up in Diamond's discussion of male hunting strategies. In a modern hunter-gatherer society, men typically go for the "big kill" (a large mammal, for instance), while women are more content to gather roots and so on. Diamond makes the point that the male strategy makes no sense nutritionally, so the answer must be found in differential sexual strategies. However, the possibility is not mentioned that hunting patterns may have evolved when big game was, in fact, rather more plentiful than it is today.

All this is a pity, because we know, from the author's other works (especially the wonderfully told Guns, Germs, and Steel), that he is quite capable of a fully formed presentation. Sex deserves it.

I really liked that booked, but then I also bought "The Third Chimpanzee" from Jared and I found that "Why sex is fun" to be just an excerpt of the spicy parts of "The Third Chimpanzee".

So, if you want to see the spicy sections only, this is your book, but if you buy "The Third Chimpanzee" you get a fuller picture and all the hot topics as well.

Philipp Schaumann Singapore

Actual content of this short work (only 146 pages) I would rate only 3 1/2 stars, mostly due to the lack of a bibliography, but Diamond makes up for everything with his reader friendly style, earning him 4 stars. He does present extensive additional reading materials and a complete index, so even with a lack of reference he does not leave you in the dark should you decide further study is in order.

`Why Sex Is Fun' is really just an anthropological muse, Diamond giving you the feeling that you are sitting in a café with him, kicking back, drinking some wine, and mulling over an interesting subject with well schooled friend.

He thoroughly examines the separation of man from ape in our breeding signals and patterns, but leaves out significant sociological factors that held the hand of the human boxes as we evolved up and away from lower-brained species, leaving behind many instinctual behaviors in favor of the intellectual.

However, from a strictly anthropological view, this book is interesting, well written, well formatted, and a welcome addition to Diamond's previous `Guns, Germs, and Steel' and `The Third Chimpanzee'.

You will find yourself pondering questions such as, Why do human females hide ovulation? Why do human females shut down fertility (menopause)? What is the benefit of the human female being receptive to $ex even when she is not ovulating? What makes human males `stick around' rather than spread their genes as far and wide as possible? Why don't men lactate? (*shudder*) And the favorite chapter for the ladies, What are men good for? Which studies the evolutionary role of the human male.

`Why Is Sex Fun?' is an informative read with a dash of fun, challenging enough for anthropology students and yet written for laymen to enjoy also. Have fun!

Giving stars to rate this book is misleading. The book deserves five for style, but no more than three for content. Diamond is a convincing writer with an excellent prose style. He delves fully into his topics, presenting them lucidly, demonstrating an ability to think deeply before presenting his ideas to the reader. His GUNS, GERMS AND STEEL deserved every accolade it received. THE THIRD CHIMPANZEE was a fine example of innovative thinking, presented with clarity. He deserves full marks for challenging readers to consider their opinions and reflect on options previously unconsidered. You don't need to be a scientist to read him, you only need an open mind.

Diamond's theme is that human sexuality is not just different from that of the other animals, but almost drastically so. Reproductive strategies range from 'r' [sow 'em and forget 'em] through 'K' [no sacrifice is too great] with humans almost the ultimate K practitioners. Evolutionary pressures on a creature that wasn't a good predator but fine prey led us down a path resulting in a massive investment in raising offspring.

What are the implications of our version of sexual techniques? Human beings have evolved in a way that natural sexual signals have been buried out of sight. It's called concealed ovulation and methods of pinpointing when a woman was likely to conceive weren't developed until this century. Fish, birds, and other mammals [particularly baboons] exhibit colours, engage in ceremonial displays or have other visible indications that the time is right! But humans keep it a big secret. Is there a valid reason?

And when a sexual coupling has generated a foetus, we put more time, energy and resources to its birthing and upbringing than nearly any other animal. Almost from the instant of conception the foetus and the mother are at war over resource allocation. Mum and babe each want the calcium, iron and other factors required by the one for survival and the other for growth. All this is pretty draining on Mum, who still has a life to lead while carrying that powerful parasite in her womb.

And where's Hubby during all this? That is a major part of Diamond's account of human sex relations. Males invest minimal resources in producing offspring and in most mammal species, decamp after coupling. Human males, however, form part of the renowned 'nuclear family'. In the chapter "What Are Men Good For?" Diamond shows how and why human males are bonded to mates in a way few other species exhibit. One major aspect of this bond, of course, is the nearly constant availability of a sexual partner [NOT 'object']. From that derives that since human women can conceal their ovulation so well, he'd better stick around to ensure any other offspring are indeed his. Since she is receptive all the time and can conceive at some indeterminate time, he'd better be there at the right time. That this situation doesn't always keep males in line is exemplified by the study showing that up to 20 per cent of British babies were conceived by someone other than the purportive parent.

Diamond goes to some effort to make human males more captive to their familial role than they might wish. As stated, the minimal expenditure of some sperm to occupy a mate for a year or so isn't always enough to foster a strong sense of responsibility in men. However, Diamond's proposed solution is one of the most astonishing ideas submitted by anyone yet. He suggests that hormonal treatments for men, inducing lactation and giving men the chance to learn the meaning of nurturing. How much more 'politically correct' can one be? One hopes this chapter was written because of Marie adopting a Lysistratian role, witholding favours until Diamond acceded to her demand for its inclusion. That, or some life- threatening gesture are the only acceptable reasons for a man of Diamond's qualifications trying to reverse the whole course of evolution and make humans even more unique among the animals than they already are. There are enough feminists out there trying to reverse the status evolution has given us. Diamond's suggestion nearly invalidates an otherwise captivating and informative book.

I admit also being tempted to talk about the book's entertainment value, of the author's light and witty style and his interesting anecdotes. However, the title and style belie the critically important nature of the subject: the origin of human sexual behavior, which is such a major part of human behavior in general, both good and bad.

The rather sour reviewer below makes a good point that the book contains material familiar to those of us already acquainted with the subject, but that in no way detracts from its value. In my experience, most people, even those otherwise sophisticated and well-educated, do not sufficiently appreciate the importance of evolution. Though they may understand it intellectually, they fail to see evolutionary forces playing a fundamental role in human behavior, and therefore constantly misdiagnose problems and prescribe inappropriate solutions. Their number includes Christians, feminists, and those dealing with racial issues on both sides of the political spectrum--a fairly large chunk of society. Personally, I am here at Amazon to send copies to three friends, all educated at top universities, one a professor of chemistry in one of India's most elite universities. I expect that they will get something out of it, although the (feminist) professor may not take it quite the way I want....

OK, one comment on the book's fun nature: It is fascinating to read anecdotes from Diamond's studies of primates and hunter-gatherer societies, same as it was reading anecdotes about ants and termites in the books by Edward O. Wilson. I'd like to take Wilson and Diamond to lunch someday, and just sit back and listen.

In why is sex fun? (WSIF) Jared Diamond talks about many things, undoubtedly, but not about why sex is fun. Title is misleading. This book is a minor work of Diamond, able of much better things (I would rate it indeed is as 3.5 stars).

However, minor as it is, WSIF is a completely worthy book, which you can easily read in a short time and casual way; for sure you will be pleased with all the stories and anecdotes that you are to learn from Diamond, as in any other of his books and articles of opinion. (For instance, I found especially interesting to know about the dyak fruit bats, a species in which males are equipped with functional mammary glands, and actually lactate their infants!!) At the end of the book, you will be a little wiser regarding the nature of human being. He is an intelligent and skillful author.

In WSIF Diamond basically develops the ideas already introduced in chapters 3 to 6 of his "The Third Chimpanzee" (TTC), this is, the reproductive behavior of human being from an evolutionary perspective. If you read TTC you will be familiar with women's concealed ovulation and menopause, permanent receptiveness, packed social life and "relative" monogamy of human couples, private and recreational sex, etc. Homo sapiens is just one more animal species, and our behavior, as weird as sometimes can seem, it is clearly explained from animal behavior and evolutionary perspectives.

However, WISF's approach results a bit superficial, and you will not find any comment about important aspects, as the fact that humans have developed that social glue called love, undoubtedly part of our reproductive behavior. Homosexuality and other oddities which apparently don't lead to an increase in reproductive success but are largely spread are not mentioned as well. For the last years, books on human (and other animals) sexuality and reproductive behavior from evolutionary perspectives are abundant, and some of them are far more interesting than this. I recommend you to read WISF, which you are to enjoy, but if you are interested in this topic, you better read also the last chapter of John Alcock's "Triumph of Sociology" and the first part of the superb "The moral animal", by Robert Wright, among others. In those books the difference between proximate and ultimate cause are better explained, and I think that that is the key point to understand nowadays human sexual behavior: matrimony, in its different forms; infidelity; the strong sexual drive in males;male jealously and aggressiveness; the importance of beauty; and many more.

This short work by the author of the classic "Guns, Germs, and Steel" seeks to explain the evolutionary paths of distinctive human sexual characteristics. It does not, however, attempt to explain all sexual behavior in humans, focusing instead on general sexual behavior between men and women. Masturbation, homosexuality, and many other types of sexual behavior are not touched upon here, so if you find any of them fun, you will have to look elsewhere for reasons explaining why.

Humans have several sexual traits that, even if not unique, are still highly unusual in animal species -- concealed ovulation in females, near constant female receptivity to sex, recreational sex, and female menopause. Diamond shows the most likely evolutionary explanations for why humans possess these traits. Some of the explanations are more plausible than others, but almost all of the arguments are interesting to read.

As usual, Diamond writes well; the book is clear and concise and can be finished in an evening. Also, as usual, Diamond can't help but let his politics show in his writing; in one chapter, he gives a bizarre boost to male lactation and the notion that men might someday help their wives breastfeed their young.

Now, REALLY! Do you seriously think that the question posed by the title of this book can be answered? Would you, in any event, want it answered? Do you think sex would be more fun if you knew why it IS fun? Would it be less fun? Does it matter?

Worry not. This book does not address the issue of "fun." This is a serious tract having to do with evolutionary biology and sociobiology. It does contain such a given as "Human sex is mostly for fun, not for insemination," but that is about as far as it goes on the "fun" part of the title. Catchy titles are known to sell books, and one that contains both "sex" and "fun" is sure to account for a few (maybe many) sales, even if it does not describe the contents of the book very well.

The interesting parts of the book (and there are many) have to do with such surprising facts as: menopause is a nearly exclusively human trait. Other female mammals remain fertile through their their life span, with the exception of pilot whales, who are subject to menopause. This book attempts to explain the evolutionary advantages of menopause in both humans and whales.

The fact that human females emit very few outward signs of fertility and are sexually receptive to males throughout their menstrual cycle has huge implications in terms of how the institution of marriage has evolved in society. It is THAT kind of a book: scholarly, philosophically provocative, and extremely interesting. There is no sexual titillation here. You will be told that pubic and underarm hair are "cheap and wholly arbitrary" signals of human sexual maturity, a fact which may or may not hold your interest. In all, this is a short but highly concentrated source of extraordinary information about the evolution of sexuality, about mammalian behavior, and even about the interplay between penis size and the size of the brain. It is fine reading, but forget about "fun." The book is well indexed and contains good references. I withold one star because of the mild deception this book's title imposes upon the unwary consumer.

While reading this book, one cannot help but compare it with Diamond's earlier works, in particular, Guns, germs and steel (GGS). While GGS comes across as a work of a life time, this book seems hastily written, to cash in on GGS's fame. Now, don't get me wrong, there are a lot of interesting trivia that you end up learning about sexuality: both human and animal. However, the fundamental theme of "Why sex is fun?" seems to be lost amidst all the interesting trivia. The facts, theories and hypotheses about sexuality in the book resemble more a program on MTV with fast and random style editing and closeup shots that lacks a principally sound story. Having said all this, I would still recommend that the book be read, since it throws interesting light on a topic that occupies a good part of human thought and behavior: Sex.

I was disappointed that a book titled "Why is Sex Fun?", while considering such interesting questions as why men do not usually lactate and the evolutionary value of menopause (though I'm not convinced by his argument on that one), does not give even a brief mention to the purpose for orgasm.

As clearcut a question as this may seem, the obvious answer, "to make sex fun", needs more investigation. I would be interested to know, for example, do only humans experience orgasm? And what of the disparity between the sexes when it comes (pun unintended!) to the non-neccessity of orgasm to conception?

Despite this, and the fact that I do not neccessarily agree with all of the author's conclusions, the book was an interesting Sunday-morning read.