What Charles Darwin Didn’t Know about Sex

My husband passed this article on to me, among many other newspaper clippings—as he is wont to do—he likes to help keep me well stocked in interesting “stories” for my blog. Well, this one was so interesting and well written by the Vancouver Sun editorial staff (all nine of them, listed below) that I’m compelled to hijack it in its original form and post it here for your delicious and tantalizing pleasure:

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In the world of Charles Darwin, males compete with other males to mate with females, which is why the male of the species is hard-wired to become aroused by females and developed flamboyant plumage, horns or exuberant songs and dances to court them. Females select those mates they think can best protect them from aggressors, hunt for food and pass on the best genes.

Follow the evolutionary bouncing ball and we learn that men are in competition with other men for the attention of, and opportunity to mate with, women; and that women are searching for muscular men with material resources, ones likely to produce strong, healthy, attractive offspring.

Well, forget all that. Research suggests women aren’t particularly aroused by the sculpted male body. In fact, they’d rather look at other women.

The Science & Magic of Love—Revisited

Natural opiods get activated, and you think someone made you feel good, but it’s your brain that made you feel good—Jim Pfaus, Concordia University

Love is the poetry of the senses—Honore de Balzac

To love is to receive a glimpse of Heaven—Karen Sunde

In a previous post, entitled the Science & Magic of Love, I explored some of the current scientific thought on the biology and chemistry of “love”. In honor of Valentine’s Day, I revisit my post and augment with some new information by Jeffrey Kluger of Time Magazine, who kicks off his article with the statement, “Breeding is easy, but survival requires romance too.”

The Science & Magic of Love

Today bloggers unite in a “Blog Against Abuse” campaign to STOP ABUSE. I want to respect that in today’s post. But I also want to concentrate on the opposite: unconditional love, the seed of altruism, hope, forgiveness, compassion, honesty, courage and honor. And ultimately the victor over abuse. If you wish you can go here where I had earlier posted an article—and a short story—on bullying. But back to love, the ultimate balm and healer of all abuse:

In her book, “Why We Love: the Nature and Chemistry of Romantic Love”, Rutgers anthropologist Helen Fisher, Ph.D., tells us that a biological/chemical cocktail of dopamine, spritzed with norepinephrine—preferably shaken not stirred—is the can’t-fail love potion for love.

Altruism at the Heart of True Happiness

While on holiday on British Columbia's beautiful west coast I read an inspirational article in the Vancouver Sun that I'd like to share with you, given that it reflects my thoughts too. It also just so happens to keep with last week's Friday Feature, which showcased the excellent blog Climate of Our Future. Written by D. Todd, the Vancouver Sun article reflects our biological imperitive for altruism to achieve happiness.

The search for true happiness has been going on for millennia and remains the subject of discourse for philosophers. Yet, it continually seems to elude many of us the more we pursue it.