Incest. An interesting statistic...

[Mr_Neb]

...about the stories on Literotica. At least on this date and at this time (5/9, 9am PDT) 52% of the 50 top rated stories covering all categories are incest stories. Yep. 26 out of the 50 most popular stories on this site are incest-themed.

I just mean this as a friendly debate but what conclusions can one draw from that?

Mr. Neb

 

[Todd]

Maybe its better than people are fantasing than actually doing?

 

[R Nitelight]

Mr_Neb

That you have way too much free time on your hands?

 

[*Lazer*]

That they never met my brothers or sisters.

 

[Felsen]

Incestuous relations have been tempting mankind for generations. Don't think a lot of people find it enticing? Then look at the language used when "normal" people discuss the subject. Scathing! "Unnatural" is a frequently used word to describe the urge for intra-family sex, but Freud remarked that you don't need stringent laws to prevent people from doing "unnatural" things.

Dr. Poindexter of the Kinsey Institute for Sex Research at Indiana University has said: (Not a direct quote, since I don't have the book in front of me, but the idea is clear.) "In interviews with several hundred normal Americans we found scores of instances where fathers and their daughters were engaging in mutually enjoyable sex."

 

[*Lazer*]

I don't believe that quote for a second. Let's see the link to that study.

 

[Mr_Neb]

I don't think a conclusion is all that deep although I think Lazer's is very insightfull

One possibility is that the authors who write incest stories are better writers than those that don't and a neutral readership recognizes this fact. (Hardly.)

Another possibility is that the authors submit an inordinate number of incest stories and that weighted percentage is reflected in the votes. The more incest stories there are, the more likely they are to be read. (I doubt it.)

What's more likely is that the preference of the readership heavily favors incest stories. Also, it is reasonable to assume that there is a relationship (pun) between the interests of the readership and those of the authors since the latter is a subset of the former. It is highly likely therefore that the preference of the authors also favors incest stories. Ipso facto...lots of incest stories and high votes for them.

I rest. 30 days, next case.

 

[Weird Harold]

Another possibility is that the authors submit an inordinate number of incest stories and that weighted percentage is reflected in the votes. The more incest stories there are, the more likely they are to be read. (I doubt it.)

According to the Story Index page:

There are 6409 stories on the top list. (actually I believe it's the top 500 of 6409 stories.)

There are 1951 stories in the Erotic Couplings Category. (Roughly 1/3 of the total.)

There are 1201 stories in the Incest category. (Roughly 1/6 of the total)

Loving Wives and Romance account for approximately another 1400 stories. (Roughly another 1/6)

Obviously, the representation in the top 50 stories is NOT proportional to the number of incest stories.

My personal opinion: This is the only free site that allows incest stories and has any sort of quality control. That attracts a larger number of incest fans than the other categories do because there is more competition in the other categories from other story sites that do not allow incest. Incest fans might therefore be more inclined to vote favorably to incourage the site to keep accepting incest stories, and authors to write more.

 

[Incubus]

You seem to be arguing against yourself. You cutely call it 'quality control' when what you mean is that Literotica, rightly, has a lower age limit of 18 to cover themselves for most state laws (which incidentally, is more liberal in the UK). Other sites, perhaps because of even more liberal laws in their country of origin, attract more daring stories by definition, because of their subject.

It's a fascinating topic and I'd be delighted to talk to anyone who wants to discuss it but preferably not on a BBS. You can email me at derekmas@yahoo.com.

 

[Weird Harold]

You cutely call it 'quality control' when what you mean is that Literotica, rightly, has a lower age limit of 18 to cover themselves for most state laws (which incidentally, is more liberal in the UK).

What I meant by "Quality Control", is that Literotica has fewer stories that are lacking in grammar, punctuation, and a nodding acquaitance with reality. The stories are consistently formatted, easy to read, and catalogued in such a way that any sub-genre is fairly easy to find.

Other sites which allow incest stories (with or without an age limit) don't have that kind of "user friendly" layout and format, nor do they have as high a standard of literacy.

 

[Felsen]

Are you aware that incest was not illegal in England until a law prohibiting it was passed in 1908? Yeah, that was nearly a hundredd years ago, but compared to other cultures where it was the most taboo of taboos for centuries that was only the day before yesterday. And the law passed by ONE vote. It is still not illegal for an aunt or uncle to have sex with a nephew or niece provided that all parties are of the legal age of consent and do consent, but they may not marry.

 

[Guest]

Dr. Poindexter of the Kinsey Institute for Sex Research at Indiana University has said: (Not a direct quote, since I don't have the book in front of me, but the idea is clear.) "In interviews with several hundred normal Americans we found scores of instances where fathers and their daughters were engaging in mutually enjoyable sex."

Is this true?

I find it hard to believe.

 

[Ally C]

For an interesting perspective on how 'taboo' subjects such as incest are formulated through the written word, I'd recommend Jacques Derrida's Of Grammatology (1974). I can't remember which chapter deals most specifically with the issues raised, but I think that this book provides a valuable insight to the power of the written word and language in general. It provides a fascinating critical appraisal of how speech has been supposed to maintain the "virtue of immediacy" which ultimately governs our assumptions about language itself (and culture). The 'end' result for those of us who enjoy the written word is worthy of exploration. Enjoy.

 

[p_p_man]

Not quite...

My personal opinion: This is the only free site that allows incest stories and has any sort of quality control. That attracts a larger number of incest fans than the other categories do because there is more competition in the other categories from other story sites that do not allow incest. Incest fans might therefore be more inclined to vote favorably to incourage the site to keep accepting incest stories, and authors to write more.

Pervstories has a large number of incest stories as does White Shadow (which can be accessed through Literotica's Extreme Category).

Personally it's not my cup of tea - that's why I'm happy to have got two Immunity points on the Survivor Competition, so I at least don't have to write about a subject I detest.

 

[Felsen]

To: ?????????? whoever you are -

The quote from Dr. Poindexter is true. Think about it; women who have been traumatized by forced incest are not shy about publicizing it. Look at all the women whose stories appeared in women's magazines after the former Miss America "outed" her own story of incest.

But those who engage or have engaged in incest and enjoyed the relationship certainly aren't going to publicize the fact; however, they can and do reveal their activities in anonymous interviews such as the one conducted by Kinsey and Poindexter. I know several instances of this, first hand.

 

[GulfCoastAquarian]

.....

 

[Guest]

To: ?????????? whoever you are -

The quote from Dr. Poindexter is true. Think about it; women who have been traumatized by forced incest are not shy about publicizing it. Look at all the women whose stories appeared in women's magazines after the former Miss America "outed" her own story of incest.

But those who engage or have engaged in incest and enjoyed the relationship certainly aren't going to publicize the fact; however, they can and do reveal their activities in anonymous interviews such as the one conducted by Kinsey and Poindexter. I know several instances of this, first hand.

To: Felsen or whoever you are -

Your statement is fascinating.

Do you have a web page to refer to for this information?




And if so, then there must be several women at Literotica that have or are involved as such.

Can we hear from them? Do you enjoy such a relationship? Surely there must be one or two here, if your statements are correct?

 

[Mischka]

Forget the law for a minute. There are genetic reasons why incest is wrong. Look at the royal families of Europe over the last several hundred years. Their incessant in-breeding led to debilitating diseases and insanity. Genetic diversity creates stronger off-spring. Incestuous relationships allow recessive genes to surface. So laws aren't needed to keep people from choosing their mother over a non-relative. Common sense does that.

As for why people like to read about these situations, I have no clue. Don't understand the appeal of non-consent stories, either, so I'm not the person to ask about this stuff.

 

[Laurel]

Forget the law for a minute. There are genetic reasons why incest is wrong. Look at the royal families of Europe over the last several hundred years. Their incessant in-breeding led to debilitating diseases and insanity. Genetic diversity creates stronger off-spring. Incestuous relationships allow recessive genes to surface. So laws aren't needed to keep people from choosing their mother over a non-relative. Common sense does that.

With that logic, shouldn't people carrying genetic defects be prevented by law from breeding? If the prime reason for laws against incest is keeping the gene pool strong, then why are those with Down's Syndrome, cystic fibrosis, and even certain heart & facial defects (which have been found to be gene-linked) allowed to have kids? Suppose a law was passed that prevented anyone carrying a 'bad' gene from ever reproducing. Would that be fair or right?

Incest IMHO is a cop-out, a way around leaving the house and having to meet someone new. It causes so many social problems that it's a better idea to hook up with someone outside the family. However, I think laws against incest - like those against drugs and prostitution - are made on moral, not logical, grounds.

 

[Mischka]

Sorry, should have explained myself better. I agree that laws prohibiting incest are moral declarations, not attempts to keep our gene pool stronger. I was attempting to say that I do not believe that most people avoid bedding their siblings because of the law, or conversely, that people happily jumped in the sack with relatives before such laws were on the books. We have a natural aversion to breeding with someone that genetically similar to ourselves.

This in no way is a suggestion that people carrying recessive disease-genes should be banned from having children. I fully believe that anyone capable of having children (through natural or artificial means) should make that choice for themselves. This is not within the providence of the government, nor should it ever be so.

 

[Laurel]

Sorry, should have explained myself better. I agree that laws prohibiting incest are moral declarations, not attempts to keep our gene pool stronger. I was attempting to say that I do not believe that most people avoid bedding their siblings because of the law, or conversely, that people happily jumped in the sack with relatives before such laws were on the books. We have a natural aversion to breeding with someone that genetically similar to ourselves.

Especially when they look like my relatives. Blech!

 

[Guru]

So, Laurel is the white sheep of her family?

 

[Laurel]

That's for sure...

 

[Felsen]

We have a natural aversion to breeding with someone that genetically similar to ourselves.

As I said in my first response to this thread, Freud observed that stringent laws are not necessary to prevent people from doing things that we have a "natural aversion" to.

 

[Felsen]

To: Felsen or whoever you are -

Your statement is fascinating.

Do you have a web page to refer to for this information?

And if so, then there must be several women at Literotica that have or are involved as such.

Can we hear from them? Do you enjoy such a relationship? Surely there must be one or two here, if your statements are correct?
[/B][/QUOTE]

To: ???????

I'll be glad to go into this subject further with you and answer your questions if you'll e-mail me. This is getting a bit off of the subject of this thread.

Felsen