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Content
The Dramaturgs for TomorrowLove™ have selected a few themes that are addressed in the playlets.
Materialism | |Gender | | Voyeurism
Materialism™
Materialism ™ Why have old things when you could have new ones?
Ann-Marie.“Materialism Is Ruining Us.” Materialism Is Ruining Us | Nutmeg Community, www.nutmegcommunity.org/node/153. http://www.nutmegcommunity.org/node/153
Materialism - Definitions & Doctrines
Materialism can refer either to the simple preoccupation with the material world, as opposed to intellectual or spiritual concepts, or to the theory that physical matter is all that exists. This theory is far more than a simple focus on material possessions. It states that everything in the universe is matter, without any true spiritual or intellectual existence. Materialism can also refer to a doctrine that material success and progress are the highest values in life. This doctrine appears to be prevalent in western society today. Materialism can also refer to the term, Cultural Materialism.
Materialism - Philosophies & Worldviews
Materialism and its theories can be traced as far back as the poem "The Nature of Things," written in the first century B.C. by Lucretius. Other defining works include The System of Nature by Paul d'Holbach, Force and Matter by Ludwig Buchner, and the more recent research done by Richard Vitzthum, Materialism: An Affirmative History and Definition.
Materialism as a philosophy is held by those who maintain that existence is explainable solely in material terms, with no accounting of spirit or consciousness. Individuals who hold to this belief see the universe as a huge device held together by pieces of matter functioning in subjection to naturalistic laws. Since materialism denies all concepts of Special Creation, it relies on the Theory of Evolution to explain itself, making beliefs in materialism and evolution interdependent.
Materialism - A Question of Belief
Materialism, at its simpler level, involves the focus on material 'things' as opposed to that which is spiritual or intellectual in nature. We live in a world surrounded by and composed of matter. It is natural, therefore, that we may become distracted from spiritual or intellectual pursuits by material possessions, but this is frequently where problems occur. We can become obsessed with a desire to obtain them, or simply frustrated by the need to maintain them.
The questions this attitude should prompt us to ask are, "Are material things really more important than anything else? Is material success the highest goal? If things are all there are, what's life all about? Why am I here at all? If life is really just about materialism, why should I even try to live a moral life? What does it matter how I treat others or how I live, as long as I have what I want? Why does what I believe about the origin of life matter? (Materialism)"
“Cultural Materialism.”AllAboutPhilosophy.org, www.allaboutphilosophy.org/cultural-materialism.htm.
“Materialism.” AllAboutPhilosophy.org, www.allaboutphilosophy.org/materialism.htm.
Life & Death™
Want To Live Forever? It’s Easy—Don’t Die!
Welcome to Life≠Death™, a product existing within the confines of our overarching company line of TomorrowLove™. Featured within our layers of relationships, we strive to cheat death, so you don’t have to!
Remember, life is not equal to death—you and your loved one can live on forever with our Life≠Death™ technology.
Image taken from: Moore, Tracy. “Being in Love Means Fantasizing About Your Partner's Death - And That's Totally OK.”Jezebel, 19 June 2013, jezebel.com/5970403/being-in-love-means-fantasizing-about-your-partners-death---and-thats-totally-ok.
The clock is ticking—find out more now!
Life≠Death™ — What Is Life and Death All About?
Define 'Life': The condition or attribute of living or being alive; animate existence. Opposed to death or inanimate existence.
"life, n."OED Online, Oxford University Press, July 2018, www.oed.com/view/Entry/108093. Accessed 16 October 2018.
Define 'Death': The act or fact of dying; the end of life; the permanent cessation of the vital functions of a person, animal, plant, or other organisms. Also: an instance of this; (with specification) a manner of dying.
"death, n."OED Online, Oxford University Press, July 2018, www.oed.com/view/Entry/47766. Accessed 16 October 2018.
The question that begs exploration is: how we can live forever if death is a guaranteed part of life? We look to technology for the answer and the idea of transhumanism.
What is Transhumanism?
As described by philosopher and futurist Max More: transhumanism is a class of philosophies of life that seek the continuation and acceleration of the evolution of intelligent life beyond its currently human form and human limitations by means of science and technology, guided by life-promoting principles and values.
“What Is Transhumanism?”Transhumanism What Is ?, whatistranshumanism.org/.
Transhumanist FAQ: The Transhumanist FAQ was developed in 1998 and authored into a formal FAQ in 1999 through the inspirational work of transhumanists, including Alexander Chislenko, Max More, Anders Sandberg, Natasha Vita-More, James Hughes, and Nick Bostrom, Several people contributed to the definition of transhumanism, which was originated by Max More.
Transhumanismisnotsofaroutofreachinourcontemporarysocietyaswemightthink.Indeed,wearemovingtowardtechnologyenhancingoureverydaylivingatarapidspeed.AsFrancisf*ckuyamawrites:“Transhumanismofasortisimplicitinmuchoftheresearchagendaofcontemporarybiomedicine.Thenewproceduresandtechnologiesemergingfromresearchlaboratoriesandhospitalswhethermood-alteringdrugs,substancestoboostmusclemassorselectivelyerasememory,prenatalgeneticscreening,orgenetherapy-canaseasilybeusedto"enhance"thespeciesastoeaseorameliorateillness”(42).
Thesearebabystepsofanunderlyingagendaofbiomedicine—toenhanceourbiologicallivinginsuchawaythatmayonedayextendourlivesbeyondourcurrentlifeexpectancy,or,perhaps,beridoflifeexpectancyaltogether.Thequestionofconcernonthistopicisanethicalone.Thatistosay,whowillbegiventheopportunitytousethistechnology,and“whatrightswilltheseenhancedcreaturesclaim,andwhatrightswilltheypossesswhencomparedtothoseleftbehind?”(f*ckuyama,42).
f*ckuyama,Francis.“Transhumanism.”ForeignPolicy,no.144,2004,pp.42–43.JSTOR,JSTOR,www.jstor.org/stable/4152980.
Butwhatifweweretoberidofourbodiesaltogetherwhentheydonotserveus,anduploadourconsciousnessinstead?FuturistNikBadmintoniscurrentlyexploringthis.HealludestothesepossibilitiesinaGlobalNewsinterviewwithJeffMcArthuronApril18th,2018.
GenderFluidity
GenderFluidity™—Bodiesdonotdefinegender.
WelcometoGenderFluidity™,aproductexistingwithintheconfinesofouroverarchingcompanylineofTomorrowLove™.Featuredwithinourlayersofrelationships,asaspectrumofself-identificationandperformativity.
“FQTheEssentialDadMug.”FQTheEssentialDadMug,FQMagazine,www.fqmagazine.co.uk/being-dad/item/7090-raising-genderfluid-child.html.
IntheUniversityofWaterloo’sTheatreandPerformanceprogram,therehasbeenatranslationofRosamundSmall’svaluesofhergenderblindscriptwithintherehearsalprocessledbyDirectorAndreaDonaldson.DonaldsonheldauditionsatthebeginningofSeptember2018,cast11students,taskedwithperformingSmall’splay.Whiletheactorsknewtheywerecastintheshow,theirrolesandcharacterswereundefined.Theywerenotcastintheirrolesuntilthedirectorandstudentsexploredtogetherthefullpotentialoftheplaythroughtablework(in-depthanalysisofthescript),atimeofexplorationandexperimentation.
With7chosenplayletsfromSmall’soriginalscriptof15,the11actorsweregivendifferentscenepartnersandplayletstoreadthrough.Dependingonthedayoftheweekofinitialtablework,therolesofgenderedtypecastingwerethrownoutthewindow.Actingduoswouldbeeitherassignedbythedirector,oroccurrandomlyfromwhoyouendedupsittingbesideatthetableinrehearsal.Thisallowedthecastanddirectortohaveafluidunderstandingofthecharacterswithoutgenderbias,andforgreaterdiscoveryofthecharactersfromvariouspeoplereadingthelines.
Itprovedthatwithinthestructureofthescript,loveandrelationshipscanbeexploredregardlessofgender.Forexample,anyonecangothroughrelationshipproblems,heartache,feelingsofanxiety,andwishfortheirrelationshipstobebetter.Nomatterone'sbodyshape,sexualorientationorgender,everyonehasdesiresthatneedtobeaddressed.
ThisrehearsalprocesshashelpedbreakgenderstereotypesinunderstandingSmall’swork;itwillcontinuetoevolveastherehearsalprocesscontinues.FormoreinformationonRosamundSmall’sideasonpushingsocialboundariesinherwork,genderfluidity,definitions,andrelatedtopics,pleasescrolldown.
RosamundSmallInterview:InTheGreenroom,interviewer:BrittanyKay
RosamundSmallistheplaywrightofTomorrowLove™.InherinterviewwithBrittanyKay,Smallrevealsherscripttobeanattemptat“pushingoutideasofpreconceivednotionsofgender”(2017).Animportantfocusintheperformanceofthisworkisthegender-fluidnatureofthecharacters.Smallcommentsonthis,sayingthat“typicallywehavereallygenderedstoriesaboutanythingfromabreakuptosexualviolencetoanythingreallytodowithhowtwopeoplerelateinarelationship”(2017).Shegoesontoexplainthat,“Thosestoriescanbesupervaluable,butinthiscaseIwantedtosortofpushoutofthoseideas”,sayingthatshewantedtoexplore“theideathatifIdidn’tknowthegenderoftheperson,howwouldInavigatethatinthewriting?Thecharactershavegendersbecausewhateveractorisplayingtheminhabitstheirgender,butthat,Ithink,ispartofalargerpieceofthefeelingoftheshow”(2017).It’sabouttheselfandtheindividualandwhatisinnatetoyouandhowdidyouendupinyourlife(2017)?”
“ArtistProfile:RosamundSmall,PlaywrightofOutsideTheMarch's‘TomorrowLove.’”Inthegreenroom,2Jan.2017,inthegreenroom.ca/2016/11/23/artist-profile-rosamund-small/.
JudithButleronOpenCultureWebsite
Tofurtherourunderstandingofgenderandtheimportanceofitsplaceinourculture,wecanlookatthewritingofAmericanPhilosopherJudithButlerformoreinsight.Butlerstatesthat“genderbecomesnaturalized,wovensotightlyintothesocialfabricthatit*eemslikeanecessarypartofrealityratherthanacontingentproductionofhistory”(Butler2018).Justhowthishappensiscomplicated—wedon’tinventtheseroles,theyareinventedforus,asButlerarguesinheressay“PerformativeActsandGenderConstitution”
JudithButler,GenderTrouble(LondonandNewYorkRoutledge,1990).
Genderidentity“isaperformativeaccomplishment,”shewrites,“compelledbysocialsanctionandtaboo….Genderis…anidentityinstitutedthrougharepetitionofacts”.Forasomewhatmorestraightforwardsummaryofhertheoryof“genderperformativity,”seeButlerintheBigThinkvideoabove,inwhichshedescribesgenderasa“phenomenonthat’sbeingproducedallthetimeandreproducedallthetime".OnethingtonoteaboutButler'stheoryisthat'performativity',thoughitusesatheatricalmetaphor,isnotthesameas'performance'.Genderisnotacostumeoneputsonandtakesoff,likeaShakespeareanactorplayingmalecharactersonenightandfemalecharactersthenext.Rather,thetechnicalterm"performative”meansforButleranactthatnotonlycommunicatesbutalsocreatesanidentity.
Aswemightexpectofanyculturalconstruct,gendernormsvarywidelybothinter-andintra-culturallyandthroughouthistoricalperiods(2018).Andgiventheirconstructednature,theycanchangeinanynumberofways.Therefore,accordingtoButler,“there’snotreallyanygrounds,”asourphilosophyexplainerputsit,“forsayingthatsomebody’s‘doingtheirgenderwrong”.
inGender,Philosophy|February7th,20181Comment.“TheoristJudithButlerExplainsHowBehaviorCreatesGender:AShortIntroductionto‘GenderPerformativity.’”OpenCulture,www.openculture.com/2018/02/judith-butler-on-gender-performativity.html.
JudithButlerPerformativeGenderVideo:
bigthink.“JudithButler:YourBehaviorCreatesYourGender.”YouTube,YouTube,6June2011,www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bo7o2LYATDc#action=share.
PhilosophyTubeVideo:
Forsomephilosophyonwhatgenderisandwhereitcomesfrom,youcanwatchOlly,aYouTuberwhogoesintoin-depthexplanationonthetopic.HeexplainsJudithButler’stheoriesinclearandconciseterms.Mentioningthatrepeatedandstylizedactionsaretaughttousandenforcedatayoungage.
thephilosophytube.“WhatIsGender?|PhilosophyTube.”YouTube,YouTube,29Apr.2016,www.youtube.com/watch?v=seUVb7gbrTY&feature=youtu.be.
Dependency&Addiction
DependencyAddiction™Lifeishard,sharetheload,clingtoyourpartners.
WelcometoDependencyAddiction™,aproductexistingwithintheconfinesofouroverarchingcompanylineofTomorrowLove™.Featuredwithinourlayersofrelationships,itcanhelpyourrelationshipswithpeopleandtechnologyflourishhealthilyonBOTHends!
“ReachingHands.”SundownMRanch,3Sept.2013,sundown.org/blog/2013/09/03/difference-teen-adult-addiction-treatment/.
DependencyMeaning
Dependence:Therelationofhavingexistencehangingupon,orconditionedby,theexistenceofsomethingelse;thefactofdependinguponsomethingelse(OED).
Dependent:Somethingsubordinatelyattachedorbelongingtosomethingelse;asubordinatepart,appurtenance,dependency(OED).
Depend:Withon,upon:Tobeconnectedwithinarelationofsubordination;tobelongtoassomethingsubordinate;tobeadependantof(OED).
AddictionMeaning
Addiction:Thestateorconditionofbeingdedicatedordevotedtoathing,esp.anactivityoroccupation;adherenceorattachment,esp.ofanimmoderateorcompulsivekind(OED).
Addict:Thatisorhasbeenattachedbycompulsionorobligationtoaperson(oroccasionallything);tied,bound;obligated(OED).
AcceptingDependencePromotesIndependence
ThroughascientificstudyBrookeC.Feeneyexploreshow,“acloserelationshippartner’sacceptanceofdependencewhenneeded(e.g.,sensitiveresponsivenesstodistresscues)isassociatedwithlessdependence,moreautonomousfunctioning,andmoreself-sufficiency(asopposedtomoredependence)onthepartofthesupportedindividual”(Feeney268).Accordingtothisstudy,independenceemergesfrombeingabletoacceptdependenceandrelyonsupportfrompartners(Feeney268).
FeeneyreferencesBowlbyinexplaininghowapersonnourishesmentallywhentheyhaveasecurehome-basecreatedbyarelationship(normallyachild-parentrelationship).Theindividualfeelsmoresecureingoingoutonexcursionsinlifethattakethemfartherawayfromhome-baseforlongerperiodsoftime.Theindividualreturnstothehomebasewhentheyfeeltheyneedsupport(sickness,tired,scared,etc.)(Feeney269).Thisrelationshipisnurturedwhenthehome-baseindividualrespondsappropriatelyinatimelymannertothedistresssignalsfromthedependentindividual(Feeney269).
InastudyusingromanticpartnersFeeneyfoundthat,“Resultsindicatedthatpartners’dependencyacceptancewasmorestronglyassociatedwithrecipients’independencewhenpartnerswerelowinattachmentanxietythanwhenpartnerswerehighinattachmentanxiety…Thus,ahighlevelofattachmentanxiety,particularlyinpartners,appearstoattenuateafewoftheassociationsbetweendependencyacceptanceandindependentfunctioning”(Feeney275-276).
Feeneycontinuedtoconductmultiplestudiestotestherresultfromthefirstgroupofcouples.Sheusedmultipledifferentmethodstotestherhypothesisandfoundthattheresultsofmorestudiesconfirmedherhypothesisfurtherstatingthat,“strongconvergingevidenceforthehypothesizedlinkbetweenacceptanceofdependencyneedsandautonomousfunctioning”(Fenney282)existedbetweenthedifferentstudiesconducted.
Feeney,BrookeC.“TheDependencyParadoxinCloseRelationships:AcceptingDependencePromotesIndependence.”JournalofPersonalityandSocialPsychology,vol.92,no.2,2007,pp.268–285.,doi:10.1037/0022-3514.92.2.268.
OnlineSexAddiction
“Onlinerelationshipscanbeempoweringformanypeople;thatis,cyberspaceprovidesauniqueenvironmentforpeopletoexperienceandlearnaboutrelationshipsandsexuality”(Whitty1).
TheNegativeAspects
Somearguethat“duetofewernon-verbalandparalinguisticcues,thereisanextremelylowfeelingofsocialpresence;thatis,anindividual’sself-perceptionisreducedanddeindividuationisencouraged”(Whitty3).Whensocialpresenceisdecreasedduetotheenvironmentofonlinerelationships,communicationbetweenrelationshippartnersbecomesimpersonal(Hiltz,Johnson,andTuroff,1986;Short,Williams,andChristie,1976;SproullandKiesler,1986).Itisfurtherbelievedthatwithouttheface-to-face,highsocialpresence,personalcommunication,thatcommunicationcanbecomeaggressive(Whitty3).“Cyberspaceisaspacewhichfostersdeceit,abusiveandsometimesevenharassment”(Whitty3).
PositiveAspects
Whittystatesthat,“Suler(2004)andJoinson(2001)havearguedthatpeoplecanbemorehonestandopenaboutthemselvesincyberspace”(Whitty4)meaningthatperhapsifpeoplearemorehonestthattheircyberspacerelationshipsmightbemoregenuine.Socialpresenceisalsoonthemindsoftheoristswithapositiveviewofonlinerelationships.“McKennaandcolleagueshaveproposedthatthelackofsocialpresenceprovidesindividualswithmoreopportunitiestopresentaspectsofthemselvesthattheydonotfeelcomfortablewithdisplayinginordinaryface-to-face5conversations”(Whitty4-5).InterestinglyWhittyfoundthat,“individualsareabletoflirtonlinebysubstitutingtranslatingtraditionalofflinenon-verbalcuesintotext”(Whitty5).IthinkthatthismentionofflirtingisespeciallyrelevanttoafewspecificpiecesinTomorrowLove™intermsofhowcharactersnavigatesexualrelationshipsthroughusingtechnology.Thosespecificpiecesare:EightLegs,TwoHearts,Til’SkypeDoUsPart,Perfect,andmaybeIWroteYouThisLetter.
Whitty,M.T.(2008).Liberatingordebilitating?Anexaminationofromanticrelationships,sexualrelationshipsandfriendshipsontheNet.ComputersinHumanBehavior,24,1837-1850.
Voyeurism™
Noort,Adamvan.“LadyGodiva,1586-AdamVanNoort.”Www.wikiart.org,1Jan.1586,www.wikiart.org/en/adam-van-noort/lady-godiva-1586.
Voyeurism-A"sexualbehaviour"involvingsexualarousalfromtheactofobservinganunsuspectingpersonwhoisnaked,disrobing,orintheprocessofsexualactivity.
AmericanPsychiatricAssociation,2000
Etymology–fromtheFrenchvoyeur,literally“onewhoviewsorinspects,”fromvoir“toview,”fromLatinvidere
“Voyeur.”Etymonline.https://www.etymonline.com/word/voyeur
TheatricalPerspectives:
JohnR.Zieglerstatesin“ManyLongingEyes:EmbeddedMasquesandSocialVoyeurismontheJacobeanStage”thataformofsociallyacceptedvoyeurismispresentinthewaytheateraudiencestakepartintheexperienceofatheatreperformance.Theideathattherearedegreesofvoyeurismrangingfromthecommon"layvoyeurism"weallmayutilizefrequentlyuptoavarietycategorizedwithintheDSM(DiagnosticandStatisticalManualofMentalDisorders)alongsideotherparaphilicdisorderssuchaspedophiliaandsadomasochism(Metzl417)arepresentedinhiswork.
“Layvoyeurism"or"normativevoyeurism"isacommonpracticeusedbypeopleondailybasisasameansofsociallearning(Mitzl417).MarkV.Flinn,ananthropologistattheUniversityofMissouri,citesinhispapertitledCultureandtheEvolutionofSocialLearning,that“complexlearningmethodsuseinformationtransferfromoneindividualtoanothervia“imitation”(Heyes1994:Galef1988,1996;Tomasello1996).Theabilityto(1)observebehavior(ofparents,ect.),(2)produceamentalimage,and(3)reproducethebehavior(imitateorcopy)canhavetremendousadvantagesovertrialanderror(HeyesandGalef1996).Sociallearningallowsonetobenefitfromtheexperiencesofothers,andtoprovideco-residentoffspringwithaheadstart”(Flinn34).Theatrecanberecognizedasavenueforsuchlearning.Peoplemaybedrawntosomeformsoftheatreasamethodofseeingperformersenactsituationswherecharactersportraypeopleinvulnerablesituations.ZeiglerproposesthattheremaybeahistoryofthisdocumentedasfarbackastheeraoftheJacobeanstagewhereLondonhadexperiencedaperiodofeconomicgrowth.Middle-classcitizenscouldnowaffordsomeoftheluxuriesthatwereatonetimeclosedofftothem,andtheatrewasawindowintothelivesofthearistocracythatwasbecominganobjectofdesire(Ziegler17).Anewdemographicofsocietycouldnowsimplybuyaticketandwatchpeopleenactsituationswhichweredifficulttounderstand,therewasaplacetowatchandlearn,anewplatformtoexperienceculturehadbecomeavailable.
Ziegler,JohnRMA.ManyLongingEyes:EmbeddedMasquesandSocialVoyeurismontheJacobeanStage,2012
Metzl,JohnathanM.FromscopophiliatoSurvivor:abriefhistoryofVoyeurism,TextualPractice18(3),2004pp.415-34
HistoricalPerspective:
LadyGodivawasthewifeofanEnglishnoblemanwhorodenudethroughthestreetsofCoventrytogainremissionforherhusband’sheavytaxationofthepeople.AlthoughLadyGodivawasperforminganactofdebasem*ntordegradation,laterversionsofthestoryintroducethecharacterofthe“PeepingTom,”whowasstrickenblindforbeingavoyeurofthelady,assheroadthroughthetown(Abramoff,179).
Thischaracterispresentinmanyoftheartisticrepresentationsofthestorydatingbackasfarasthelate16thcenturyanditfeaturedinawindowintheupperleftcornerofthepaintingofLadyGodivabyAdamVanNoortfinishedin1587(Abramoff,179).LadyGodivaisbelievedtohavediedsometimebetweenthemidtolate11thcentury(Britannica,2013).
Abramoff,KristineV.“AnEarlyInstanceoftheVoyeurintheStoryofLadyGodiva”.OxfordUniversityPress,(2018):179-180.
LadyGodiva,OldEnglishGodgifu,(diedbetween1066and1086),Anglo-SaxongentlewomanfamousforherlegendaryridewhilenudethroughCoventry,Warwickshire.
AlaterchronicleassertsthatGodivarequiredthetownsmentoremainindoorsatthetimefixedforherride.PeepingTom,acitizenwholookedouthiswindow,apparentlybecameapartofthelegendinthe17thcentury.Inmostaccountshewasstruckblindordead.
Britannica,TheEditorsofEncyclopaedia.“LadyGodiva.”EncyclopædiaBritannica,EncyclopædiaBritannica,Inc.,19June2013,www.britannica.com/biography/Lady-Godiva.
Peepingtom,personwhoderivessexualsatisfactionfromwatchingfromhidingplacesasothersdisrobeorengageinsexualacts.ThetermderivesfromthelegendaryPeepingTom,apryingtailorwhowasstruckblind(insomeaccounts,struckdead)foropeninghiswindowandwatchingLadyGodivaassherodenakedthroughCoventrytodemonstrateagainstheavytaxesonthetown.ThoughGodiva’sridesupposedlytookplaceinthe11thcenturyandwasrecordedasearlyasthe13th,thelegendofPeepingTomwasnotaddedtothestoryuntilaboutthe17thcentury.
Britannica,TheEditorsofEncyclopaedia.“PeepingTom.”EncyclopædiaBritannica,EncyclopædiaBritannica,Inc.,20July1998,www.britannica.com/topic/peeping-tom-sexual-behaviour#ref144309.
SocialLearningPerspective:
Voyeurism:ItIsGoodAsLongAsWeDoNotGetCaught
Todeterminewhether“normal”peoplewouldengageinvoyeurism,asampleofuniversitystudentswasaskedtoreportwhethertheywouldwatchanattractivepersonundressingortwoattractivepeoplehavingsexinhypotheticalsituations(BJRye,GlennJ.Meany47).
Althoughvoyeurismisnormalizedbyboththeories,theymakedifferentpredictions.Evolutionarytheoriespredictthatsexuallookingwilloccurtotheextentthatitcontributedtoreproductiveormatingopportunities.Ontheotherhand,sociallearningpredictsthatpeoplewillengageinvoyeurismwhentheopportunityispresent,butonlywhenthebehaviourhadbeenpreviouslyrewardedandthebenefitsoflookingoutweighthecosts(BJRye,GlennJ.Meany49).
Aswithmanybehaviours,however,theroleofsociallearninginvoyeurismmaybemoreofmodulationthanacquisition.Thatis,voyeuristictendenciesmaybeacquiredinmanyways,includingbothevolutionaryadaptationsandsociallearning.Thesubsequentexpressionofthosetendenciesisthenmodifiedbyenvironmentalconstraints,suchasprevailingsocialnorms(BJRye,GlennJ.Meany49).
Rye,B.J.MeanyG.J.“Voyeurism:ItIsGoodAsLongAsWeDoNotGetCaught”.InternationalJournalofSexualHealth,Vol19(2007):47-56.
SexualStrategiesTheory:HistoricalOriginsandCurrentStatus
DavidM.Buss’sSexualStrategiesTheorypresentsaviewofhumansexualpsychologyasarichrepertoireofmechanismsthathaveevolvedasadaptivesolutions(DavidM.Buss19).
Theseevolvedmechanismsaresensitivetocontextandarefunctional.Mechanismsevolveinresponsetospecificenvironmentalcontingencies.Theyarenotblindorrobotic,nordotheyexpressthemselvesinvariantways,insensitivetocontext.Theflexibilityofhumanbehaviouriscausedbythelargecollectionofevolvedmechanisms,activatedselectivelyandsequentially,dependingoncontext(DavidM.Buss24).
Buss,D.M.“SexualStrategiesTheory:HistoricalOriginsandCurrentStatus”.JournalofSexResearch.35(1998):19-35.
CultureandtheEvolutionofSocialLearning
Sociallearningisviewedasageneralall-purpose,non-selectivespongebywhichculturalinformationisacquiredandtransmitted(Flinn,MV26).
Culture=Learning(Flinn,MV31).
Theabilityto(1)observebehaviour(ofparents,ect.),(2)produceamentalimage,and(3)reproducethebehaviour(imitateorcopy)canhavetremendousadvantagesovertrailanderror(HeyesandGalef1996)Sociallearningallowsonetobenefitfromtheexperiencesofothers,andtoprovideco-residentoffspringwitha“headstart”(Flinn,MV34).
Flinn,M.V.“CultureandtheEvolutionofSocialLearning”.EvolutionandHumanBehavior.18(1997):23-67.
BonusMaterial™
Interestedinexploringmore?Checkoutthelinksbelow!
