The Offspring of Aeolus - On the Incest Taboo


Sam Vaknin, Ph.D.

Incest is not such a clear-cut matter as it has been made out to be over millennia of taboos. Many participants claim to have enjoyed the act and its physical and emotional consequences. It is often the result of seduction. In some cases, two consenting and fully informed adults are involved. Many types of relationships, which are defined as incestuous, are between genetically unrelated parties a stepfather and a daughter, or between fictive kin or between classificatory kin that belong to the same matriline or patriline. In certain societies the American Indians or the Chinese it is sufficient to carry the same family name =to belong to the same clan and marriage is forbidden. Some incest prohibitions relate to sexual acts - other to marriage. In some societies, incest is mandatory or prohibited, according to the social class Bali. In others, the Royal House started a tradition of incestuous marriages, which were imitated by lower classes Ancient Egypt. The list is long and it serves to demonstrate the diversity of this most universal taboo. Generally put, we can say that a prohibition to have sex with or marry a related person should be classified as an incest prohibition, no matter the nature of the relationship.

Perhaps the strongest feature of incest has been hitherto downplayed: that it is, essentially, an autoerotic act. Having sex with a first-degree blood relative is like having sex with yourself. It is a Narcissistic act and like all acts Narcissistic, it involves the objectification of the partner. The incestuous Narcissist over-values and then devalues his sexual partner. He is devoid of empathy cannot see the others point of view or put himself in her shoes. For an in depth treatment of Narcissism and its psychosexual dimension, see: "Malignant Self Love - Narcissism Revisited" and "Frequently Asked Questions" scroll down for a complete list of FAQs.

But incest involves more than a manifestation of a personality disorder or of a paraphilia incest is considered by many to be a class of pedophilia. It harks back to the very nature of the family. It is closely entangled with its functions and with its contribution to the development of the individual within it.

A family is a mechanism of allocation of genetic and materialistic wealth. Worldly goods are passed on from one generation to the next through succession, inheritance and residence. Genetic material is handed down through the sexual act. It is the mandate of the family to increase both, either by accumulating property or by exogamy marrying outside the family. Clearly, incest prevents both. It preserves a limited genetic pool and makes an increase of material possessions through intermarriage all but impossible.

Once allocated, the family is an efficient venue of transferring material wealth, as well as transmitting information and messages horizontally among family members and vertically down the generations. A large part of the process of socialization still rides on the back of this property of the family. It is still by far the most heavyweight agent of socialization. Gender roles, for instance, are learned, emulated and assimilated mainly through the family. Incest, in itself, isolated from its social context and judgement, should not have affected this function in particular. There is no logical reason why incest should interfere with socialization, role learning or with the allocation of material resources except, perhaps, when it comes to inheritance. Paradoxically, it is the reaction of society that transforms incest into such a disruptive phenomenon. The condemnation, the horror, the revulsion and the social sanctions distort the internal processes of the incestuous family. It is from society that the child learns that something is horribly wrong and that he should not adopt the offending parent as a role model. The formation of the Superego is stunted and it remains infantile, ideal, sadistic, perfectionist, demanding and punishing. The Ego, on the other hand, is likely to be replaced by a False Ego version, whose job it is to suffer the consequences of the socially hideous act. To sum up: social control in the case of incest is most likely to produce a Narcissist. Disempathic, exploitative and in eternal search for Narcissistic supply – the child becomes a replica of his offending parent.

One of the main businesses of the family is to teach to its members self control, self regulation and healthy adaptation. Family members share space and resources, for instance. Siblings share the mothers emotions and attention. Similarly, the family educates its young members to master their drives and to postpone the gratification and satisfaction, which attaches to acting upon them. The incest taboo teaches children how to control their erotic drive by abstaining from ingratiating themselves with members of the opposite sex within the same family. There could be little question that incest constitu

RELATED ARTICLES
Is Mothering Wearing You Out
I always wanted to have children and I was completely thrilled when I had my first child. Nothing, however, prepares a mother for what it’s like to be responsible for a child 24/7.
Just Say Know
Throw it away. Grab another one. Doesn’t get much better than that. Quick, easy, cheap and convenient. At first anyway. Maybe you are wondering what I am rambling on about. I’m talking about a product that’s very high in demand by the general public, it is so popular,thataverage hard workingfolks spend gazillions of dollars a year just to use it.
Frugal Ways To Show Your Love
At one time, I would have never wanted to share my frugal ideas for showinglove to those around you. My reason for keeping it to myself At one time Ithought that no one would be interested. After all, we were the only couplenot buying each other expensive gifts, jewelry, roses, and more, rightReality check! I have grown up a lot over these last 10 years and I havelearned that I am not the only one clipping coupons and cutting my childrenshair myself. There are lots of other families out there just like my husbandand I, who have to watch our spending.
The "B" Word
Former students would probably attest to the fact that few things tried my patience as much as did the statement, “This is boring!” As I reflect back on my many years in the classroom, I can’t help but feel a tad bit sorry for the first kid who made the mistake of uttering those words each year. It was rare to hear the phrase a second time because most kids vividly recalled my “sermon,” and they didn’t want to risk a repeat performance.
Calming Tips for Hyperactive Children
Parents of hyperactive children know the "Would you please just settle down!" phrase well, and likely use it on a regular basis.
Breaking the Cycle of Emotional Blackmail
Family decision-making is an intriguing phenomenon. Many factors becomepart of the decision-making process. Emotions play an important part inthis activity.
10 Simple Ways to Say, “I Love You”
We’re teaching our kids to be consumers at an early age.Look at the number of superhero and product endorsement Valentines on the store shelves.
Eight Out Of 10 Kids In Child Safety Seats Are At Risk – And Their Parents DonT Even Realize It
NC—Even the most informed parents make mistakes when installing child safety seats. According to a recent study by Transport Canada, eight out of 10 child safety seats are improperly installed. DaimlerChrysler Canada recognized the need to help parents properly install car seats and as a result has developed a free safety seat inspection service called Fit for a Kid®, that is open to any make or model of vehicle.
Words of Wisdom for Single Parents
The cost of being a parent and raising a child in todays world is constantly increasing. The risk of your child becoming involved in problem behaviour is also greater. Parents must work together as a team to ensure the brightest future for their children. But what if there is no team. No other person to rely upon. This is what millions of single parents deal with everyday. But it is not only the parent who sees this as a gloomy situation. Children are quite often left thinking that they are the reason for a separation or divorce. It is the child who must attend father and son day at school without a dad. They have to grow up with all the stigma attached to coming from a "broken home". These are just a few of the many potential problems that a single parents household are faced with. This article is aimed at providing single parents with some strategies for raising a good child despite what other people may say.
A Minute Can Turn into Hours for the Child of a Work-at-Home Mom
In theory, working at home is an ideal situation. But in reality, its difficult to balance the needs of your family with the needs of your clients.
14 Ways To Boost Customer Response In A Tough Economy
Things are rough today for online businesses. The economy is struggling to get back on track. Spam is clogging up the inboxes of everyone, making email marketing less effective. And anti-spam software seems delighted to target legitimateemail as junk.
Ten Suggestions For The Overscheduled Child
Ever wonder what happened to the family dinner hour Or for that matter the family dinner half hour Monday is Soccer Practice, Tuesday is Piano lesson, Wednesday is Church Activities, Thursday is a Soccer Game, Friday a birthday partyto attend. A number of events will fill up the weekend. Do you feel like a professional scheduler and taxi driver Are you finding yourself increasingly irritable as you go from one activity to the next Maybe you and your children are overscheduled.
Developing Fluency in Young Children
Questions to Ask when Developing Your Child’s Literacy Skills.
Pieces of Time and Pivotal Moments
Life is comprised of pieces of time sprinkled with pivotal moments. Sometimes these moments have immediate impact. Other times, they are slow to manifest and reveal their importance.But if you listen closely to the soft whispers of life, they will guide you on an unexpected journey filled with beauty, understanding and fulfillment. One such moment occurred for me about eight years ago.
Nurtured by Love or Matured by Nature
“There is nothing new under the sun,” states Ecclesiastes 1:9. This is certainly true of the nature-nurture debate, the modern name for the ageless argument about the importance of learning in the development of the child. While one side argues that the development of the child is mainly a process of maturation, with learning playing no more than a supportive role, the other side maintains that learning determines the entire course of a child’s future.
How To Potty Train In Two Days
Ah, potty training! Go to a local bookseller and you will find dozens of books on the subject. Search the Net and there are thousands of websites with information on how to do it stress free. There are even people who are capitalizing on a parents frustration with potty training by offering to do it for you, for a hefty sum! I honestly cant imagine anything more unseemly than paying someone to teach my child to "go".
Help Your Children to Love Reading
It is so important to create an environment that promotes the love of reading. Not only is reading necessary for survival in today’s world, it is educational, it sparks imagination, it is a stress reliever, provides entertainment and enjoyment, the list goes on.
Family Night on a Budget!
When you and your family are on a tight budget, sometimes one of the first things to be cut out is money for entertainment.
Most Important Decision of a Lifetime - What to Name Your Baby
Most people dont know the meaning of their name, but most names do have meanings. You should at least find out the meanings of your favorite choices before giving one of them to your child. The meaning of your childs name probably wont greatly affect his or her life, but may help you to make a decision between your favorites.
The Offspring of Aeolus - On the Incest Taboo
Incest is not such a clear-cut matter as it has been made out to be over millennia of taboos. Many participants claim to have enjoyed the act and its physical and emotional consequences. It is often the result of seduction. In some cases, two consenting and fully informed adults are involved. Many types of relationships, which are defined as incestuous, are between genetically unrelated parties a stepfather and a daughter, or between fictive kin or between classificatory kin that belong to the same matriline or patriline. In certain societies the American Indians or the Chinese it is sufficient to carry the same family name =to belong to the same clan and marriage is forbidden. Some incest prohibitions relate to sexual acts - other to marriage. In some societies, incest is mandatory or prohibited, according to the social class Bali. In others, the Royal House started a tradition of incestuous marriages, which were imitated by lower classes Ancient Egypt. The list is long and it serves to demonstrate the diversity of this most universal taboo. Generally put, we can say that a prohibition to have sex with or marry a related person should be classified as an incest prohibition, no matter the nature of the relationship.

home | site map
© 2005