2020/06/02

Why Is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality by Jared Diamond | Goodreads

Why Is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality by Jared Diamond | Goodreads





Why Is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality

(The Science Masters Series)

 3.71  ·   Rating details ·  5,250 ratings  ·  363 reviews
Why are humans one of the few species to have sex in private? Why are human females the only mammals to go through menopause? Why is the human penis so unnecessarily large? There is no more knowledgeable authority than the award-winning author of The Third Chimpanzee to answer these intriguing questions. Here is a delightfully entertaining and enlightening look at the uniq ...more

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Paperback176 pages
Published September 25th 1998 by Basic Books (first published 1997)
Original Title
Why Is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality
ISBN
0465031269 (ISBN13: 9780465031269)
Edition Language
English
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 Average rating3.71  · 
 ·  5,250 ratings  ·  363 reviews

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Sejin,
Sejin, start your review of Why Is Sex Fun? The Evolution of Human Sexuality (Science Masters)
Trevor
Feb 26, 2009rated it really liked it  ·  review of another edition
I had forgotten just how good this book actually is. I’ve read most of the popular stuff Diamond has written and enjoyed all of them. My favourite is Guns, Germs and Steel, but this one is also very good.

Although this one has a particularly fine title I have to say that it does make me want to ask another equally important question – why are there so few really good television documentaries that come out of the USA. I mean, there was Cosmos, which was mind-blowing, but there have been few that reach the heights of some of the stuff that comes out of the BBC. Connections, Life of Earth, The Ascent of Man, Civilisation, The Body in Question, The Light Fantastic, The Root of All Evil, and these just to name a few life altering documentaries from the BBC (and also just for the sheer joy of listing them).

It is not as if good pop science books don’t come out of the USA. In fact, the best pop science books and pop psychology books all come from the US. This is a discrepancy I find completely puzzling.

The book asks, and mostly answers, a series of intriguing questions about human sexuality. The questions themselves are so interesting that if I was designing the cover I would just list them there. Not just the first question – and if you ever wanted to sell a book, I’d have thought it would be hard to come up with a better title. But the book is bursting with similarly fascinating questions.

Why do we have sex even when there is no chance of pregnancy? This needs answering because most of the other mammals in the world would look at us as incredibly strange for engaging in such odd behaviour.

Why don’t men breastfeed? We have most of the equipment and men have been known to produce milk – even without scientific intervention. So, why not?

I’m only going to answer one of his questions – he asks, what are men good for? And his answer? Not a lot. Men come out of this book looking rather pathetic. We don’t do nearly as much helping out as women do, we don’t do hardly anything at all except some occasional hunting and ‘alpha’ posing. It is quite unattractive – and that does seem to conform to my understanding of what most men seem to be like.

There are lots of other questions in the book, why menopause? Why are women pretty? Why do women have large breasts? And the most surprising ‘answer’ in the book is to the question, why do men have such large penises?

The best thing about this book is that it shows that many of these questions have not been completely settled. The questions are clearly important, they are all very easy to ask, but the answers many not be nearly so easy to come by. Diamond presents some of the alternatives here and this makes for a fantastic insight into the scientific method, particularly as it applies to the evolution of various traits and behaviours.

This is either a short book or a long essay, take you’re pick, either way, it is a quick read and very interesting.
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Jenbebookish
May 14, 2012rated it liked it
Shelves: purchased

While sort of dating somebody that was very, very ill suited for me...so much that I was absolutely certain that we had no future, he would never be introduced to my family, et cetera et cetera, I really started being interested in the subject of sex. Attraction. The difference between women and men's approaches to it, the difference between pure physical attraction and what people call "chemistry." Pure, simple sexual attraction and then the kind of attraction that develops. While ultimately I didn't place much stock in the relationship, the undercurrent of sexual tension that buzzed between us was undeniable. I would find myself gazing at him in total awe, body abuzz. And then I'd wonder... why? Sure, I'd found him gorgeous at first sight but it was being in each others company that had done it, now my feelings/opinions had multiplied and it seemed like there had never been anybody MORE gorgeous. the first time he reached for my hand I was buzzin. And I couldn't make sense of it, it was totally out of my hands. Whether or not I wished to be attracted to him this way, I was. Of course I am a human being and with my evolved brain am able to grasp the weight of my choices and their consequences so I am not a slave to my body, but it was my body's reaction that piqued my interest. Like why this person? I'd been around beautiful men plenty, men technically more beautiful than he, why so enamored with this one? And so I've picked up a few books on sex, this one being the 2nd I've read, Bonk by Mary Roach the 1st. So, the fact that I had been looking to learn about something that was kind of specific, this book was a little bit of a let down. But only in the sense that there wasn't enough info on what I wanted to know. Sure, there was a brief mentioning of pheromones and how they are potentially responsible for the "chemistry" thing. I guess I wanted them to be a little more specific, like explain what's happening.. draw me a diagram of the route these pheromones take thru me, the synapses and nerves, the brain waves and activity. Maybe I'm just crazy for wanting an explanation for my attractions! There was a lot of random educational info, stuff I am less inclined to care about like the sex lives of animals and the anomalies and rarities that exist in them. An entire one out of the 6 chapters in the book is devoted to animal sex actually, including gems like listing other animals that enjoy sex, others that partake in same sex sex, others that have sex in private like humans instead of out in the open. There was a chapter on menopause (which according to this book is something that happens only to human females.) A chapter on breast feeding and the supposed non-evolution of male lactation, A chapter on gender roles in sex, yadda yadda. It's all interesting enough to read about, but that's because SEX in general is interesting to read about. I still prefer this book to Mary Roach's Bonk because it reported facts in an interesting and witty way without laying on the lame jokes so heavily and "breaking the fourth wall" constantly the way Roach does. Also Mary Roach isn't a Dr. or professor on the subject, or any subject, which causes me to mistrust a little more. Jared Diamond (who also wrote Guns, Germs, and Steel) is both a Dr. and Professor of human sexuality. That lends him a little more credibility in my eyes, and it shows in his writing which isn't amateurish the way Roach's is.

SO. For anyone looking for a quick and interesting read, sort of random facts about sex/human sexuality this shouldn't disappoint. It's short, and mostly interesting... and written in a manner that an average person can enjoy it. You don't have to be a dr or a scientist to understand it, is what I mean. Tho, it won't explain to you why you just can't seem to get enough of your new gf/bf, or why the sex with your plain jane neighbor is soo much more amazing than with your smoking hot ex. Or why you aren't attracted to Mr. Perfect with the body like a greek god, and yet you are borderline obsessive about the cute cater waiter from last night's dinner. I have two more books on the subject but something tells me that searching for an explanation of my attraction to a man is like searching for the meaning in life...destined to be fruitless forever... but at least reading about sex is never dull ;)
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☘Misericordia☘ ~ The Serendipity Aegis ~  ✺❂❤❣
Nature sure knows how to have fun:
- the battle of the sexes,
- sexual cannibalism,
- fascinating stuff about the intricacies of lactation,
- a lot of other anthropological discourse.
Ashley Reid
This was a mostly tedious book to get through. The only thing that stopped it from being 1 star was a few interesting facts and details that bumped the rating.
Charity
Feb 27, 2010rated it it was ok  ·  review of another edition
Why is sex fun? Who the eff cares??? It just IS...if you're doing it right, that is. Ha!

I thought the book had a lot of promise, but it failed to deliver on many, many levels. Diamond's lack of footnotes really irked me and I was left questioning a lot of his research. I mean sure, learning about the number of hermaphroditic fashion models really boosted my self-esteem, but hello? Source please! I don't have time to go digging around through his entire bibliography looking for relevance. Ultimately, I learned a lot about animals and very little about humans. C'est la vie.
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Phrodrick
Writing as a Jared Diamond fan, I am sorry to report that Why is Sex Fun? is a letdown. His central hypothesis is that sex is applied selfish genetics, without so naming it.He argues that the act of procreation in a given specie is predictable given knowns such as is the relative energy investment in the developing egg and what is the certainty of the embryo being the genetic product of either parent. The reader is assumed to have a background in evolution theory and this book applies that information to possible arguments. By extension the argument is that the basics of normal human sexuality are a practical application of that same theory. The title question is answered, if not directly or in so many words. The book is out of date, not much of a standalone book and less interesting than the title promises. The book may have been intended for inclusion in a larger undergraduate reading list. I cannot recommend it.

Despite what other reviewers say the title question is answered. Just not in so many words. The answer is more or less the point of Chapter 4, subtitled The Evolution of Recreational Sex.

That this book is dated is not entirely Prof. Diamond’s fault. In terms of Evolutionary Science the 20 years since its original publication is a long time. I am not sure it is represents a contribution great enough as to valuable as to justify a rewrite.

Prof Diamond asks several questions built around relatively unique aspects of the human sex act. Hidden ovulation; preference for private performance; copulation during times and ages when pregnancy is unlikely or impossible. Some of these things are rare in most animals or at least among our fellow primates. Answering each of the questions is the theme of each chapter. The answer is almost always a matter of applying the rule that adult members of a breeding pair assume roles based on the individual mates energy investment in the young, certainty that the young possess the genetic make of the parent; and that no later sex act or relationship endangers that embryo.

Given the brevity of the book there is little space for competing theories or even much discussion of evolutionary theory. Nor is there much in the way of supporting research. In an undergraduate course other reading material may provide for these absences but as a stand-alone book it is not up to the standard of other books by the same author.

Prof. Diamond’s explanations can be interesting. He will usually include a survey of species that have or may have had similar practices. The discussion, with diagrams that help to show that the fossil records can provide clues about which extinct species may have practiced some of these behaviors is worth a read. The problem is that he simply states that this kind of analysis is possible and never makes much effort to prove this possibility. Prof Diamond in effect invokes his authority as a sufficient proof. This may work in an undergraduate course, and especially if there are other texts in use in that class. It is not sufficient to make this a standalone read for the general public.
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Ana
I'll admit I cam into this expecting sociology with a little bit of biology, but instead I got the reverse. There are a lot of comparisons drawn between humans and other species, as an evolutionary explanation for our sexual evolution is attempted. I think not including any observations on how lgbtqia people may fit into the picture is an oversight, but overall this was an informative book.
Taras
Feb 18, 2012rated it it was ok
It seems that Jared Diamond got better and better with every book he wrote. With practice he got exceptionally good at making comparisons between species, cultures, etc. He also developed a better focus on the subject with every book.

However this book was written before any of that. While it is easy to read, it contains little info and has strange examples. It also alludes too often to the author's sex life in a "Look at me I'm a successfully married man with a sex life...horay!" way. Diamond tries to explain various reasons for various sexual habits & cycles, goes on rants about the analogous examples in the animal world and attempts to draw occasionally weak parallels to humans. Jared also seems side with certain "virginal nerd men" I know in that most men are scumbags and women deserve better. I disagree because women have the option to pick whoever they deserve and I will not accept blanket insults against my sex.

I still somewhat recommend this book because of the random bits of information in it. For example: polygamous Mormon men (especially priests) are the peak of male evolution in that that on average the have the most children(25). Plus it's an amusing book to read in public places.

The most frustrating aspect of this book is that Diamond forgets to answer the most important question of all - the one on the cover. What the hell? Now upon finishing the book every reader has to go out, experiment and answer the question for themselves.
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Chris
Nov 15, 2013rated it it was ok
Shame on Mr. Diamond for luring me in with this clever title. What this book really is is a scholarly tome for the serious anthropology student. It is interesting that, when it comes to sex, humans do a lot of things very differently than even our closest animal cousins. The book looks at why men have nipples, why humans continue to have sex even during pregnancy when there's no chance of additional procreation, and how various species evolved with obvious or hidden signs of ovulation (complete with charts going back to the missing link). The bottom line is, almost all animals have sex solely for passing on their genes. One of the most interesting story is about a species of male bird who sets up one mate in a nest and makes sure the hatchlings are on their way and then goes and sets up another nest with another mate, flying back and forth between both families. Meanwhile, other males may be lying in wait to "spend time" with a female while her mate is away. But other than that, the book can get pretty dry. There's a long discussion of the possible benefits of hidden ovulation. Does it keep the man around because he never knows for sure when the female is fertile? I'm not sure Diamond ever answered this question; I think I may have fallen asleep. Sex is fun; Why Is Sex Fun? is not. (less)
Partha
Apr 06, 2017rated it it was amazing
In short, I may describe this book as another diamond from Jared's bag of gems, where he told us a story of human sexuality from the evolutionary perspective. In this book, he described that the attributes of human sexuality e.g. concealed sex, monogamous society, recreational sex, non-existence of male lactation were developed because of specific evolutionary reasons. More interestingly, even the evolution of female menopause is a deceptive game of evolution to make more by making less. He also argued that the role of men and women in society was shaped by the long-term effect of evolution.

The storytelling style, ample interesting facts, and wise evolutionary reasoning make this book exciting.
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Abu Hayat Khan
Jul 17, 2018rated it it was amazing
in case if you frown upon the title, I would like to highlight that the author is a biologist, he is neither a saint nor a sinner.

biology as a science has a sort of philosophical completeness that the physics, the most fundamental of all science doesn’t possess. biology can answer both “how” and “why” questions. molecular biology and/or genetics do answer the question of “how”, for example, they can tell you the step by step process of “how” a living being dies, but they will definitely fail to answer “why” we die at all? the “why” questions in biology are addressed by the theory of evolution. if you stuck with any riddle in biology, just ask Mr. Darwin, he has the final say.

physics has quantum mechanics, the theory of relativity and they can satisfactorily answer the question like, how does the subatomic particle interact with each other or how a galaxy is formed. but unlike biology, physics has no theory that can answer the “why” questions, why a particle interact in the way it does? or why gravity exists that for the galaxy? etc. put it in another way, there is no theory of evolution in physics. but we can imagine, once such “theory of why” emerges in physics, it will face the same resentment as the evolution did.

as the first word in the title implies, this book is on “why” and not on “how”. why the human has so distinctive sexual biology than other primates or mammalian species. so far, I’ve got the opportunity to read five books by Mr. Diamond. they broadly fall under two categories: about human as a species, this book and the “The Third Chimpanzee” belongs to this group. the second category is about human society, “Guns Germs and Steel”, “Collapse” and “World Until Yesterday” goes here.

some of the topic in “The Third Chimpanzee” has been discussed in great detail in this book. here two concepts those I couldn't resist sharing as I never thought them in the way they were presented:

beyond any doubt, the brain and the thumb are the key adaptations those changed the fate of human species. Mr. Diamond argued that biologically female menopause is as revolutionary as the human brain and thumb. unlike males, females of human species got their reproductive system shutdown by the age of fifty, while they live several decades afterward, apparently, without any reproductive advantage. why is so?

the human birth canal was not evolved to deliver an enormous human fetus or twin, as a woman grows older her mortality due to childbirth increases significantly. a human child requires a long time of nursing and caring before becoming independent, and in old days society couldn’t sue a father for refusing his childbearing responsibility. hence as more elderly women died during childbirth, their infants used to follow the same fate of their deceased mother, and genes not promoting the menopause were slowly removed from the gene pool. menopause helped the single mothers to live longer and take care of their babies in early hunter-gather and forager society.

the lesson is that the world we see today wouldn't be possible without single mothers.

the second interesting point was about old people:

before the invention of writing, people used to memorize enormous knowledge about their environment, plants, animals, etc. as they get older, when they could no longer hunt or bring food to their tribes/family. instead of becoming obsolete, they turned into a library. old people were the living libraries in the ancient society, they were valued and honored by their people. it is the invention of writing that took away the job from old people as the librarian and turned them into a social burden.

if you think carefully, biologically humans are good for nothing. not only in childbirth, the humans were not a good hunter, so they opt for foraging, they were not good at foraging either, so they adopted agriculture. as history tells us, the humans were not good even in agriculture, soon they formed civilization and raged war against each other. apparently, they were so bad in the war that they stop their conquest and focused on science & technology. and guess what, even after two hundred years of advanced science and technology humans were found to be worse enough not to figure out “why” question in physics!

isn’t it weird?
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Emily C.
Oct 20, 2010rated it really liked it
This book was fascinating and so engaging and easy to read for a book based in biology. In it, Jared Diamond brings up numerous facts about human sexuality that we all take for granted. Humans have sex for fun whether or not they are fertile, at any time of the month or year. Human females experience a distinct decline and then abrupt stop in fertility around middle age. Women usually have little idea of when they might be ovulating (unless they are using some form of modern technology to tell them). These simple facts of life which most of us accept as normal, are actually very, very odd in the rest of the animal kingdom. Diamond discusses how these traits and behaviors evolved and how they make us uniquely human.

I loved this book. Diamond is like a great professor of any subject--he makes you excited to go out and talk about his subject to your friends and to learn more on your own time.

I never thought I would like a non-fiction book about biology so much.
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