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The Un-Neutered Male
The Mysteries of Testosterone and Behavior
Part I
In light of recent events and a sociopolitical climate that appears to be increasingly hostile to males who exercise even a perceived bit of sexually assertive behavior -be it in word only; I have noticed a dramatic increase in “male bashing” and began to wonder if the cause of this offensive behavior by some of the more brutish males might be a disorder like ADHD or clinical depression. Quite contrary from providing a convenient excuse for deliberate sexual misconduct, my purpose in writing this is to ask if we have overlooked something in our supposed enlightenment. I began to wonder if we might actually be discriminating against people who have a genuine disorder. If this is the case then it would be no more fair to insist they comply with socially acceptable behavior than it would be to tell the child with ADHD to “sit still and shut up” or to tell a woman with PMS to “get over it.” As in the case of ADHD, only when we get to the root cause and prescribe an acceptable treatment course can we expect a modification of behavior -otherwise no amount of punishment or reward is effective.
More than meets the eye:
Unseen but ever present, hormones and mother nature might be the true culprits, after all, testosterone is an extremely powerful and important hormone, often attributed with giving men competitive instinct and of course sex drive. While I'm not saying it's purely testosterone that makes people dress up in funny plastic protective gear and bash each other into oblivion on the football field, or don gloves and beat each other to a bloody pulp in the boxing ring, perhaps testosterone produced in larger amounts by some men, or introduced as a catalyst in an individual who may have some other chemical or emotional instability causes a more aggressive expression of the mating instinct? Without citing an extensive list of animal tests that clearly show a direct correlation between sex hormones and overt sexual behavior, suffice it to say that the theory is a well know fact with regard to animals. Like a buck deer is attracted to the “doe-in-heat” scent placed on a tree by a hunter, there certainly seems to be enough evidence to make a case that at least some human males may have a “disorder” whereby aggressive sexual expression in word or deed may get them into deep trouble.
So the question is, can reason, morality, and a sense of social responsibility override the baser mating instincts? The answer appears to be a painfully obvious “Not Always,” particularly when looking at examples of so many people who literally destroy their family, freedom, and even their own lives for a few moments of pleasure. People from all walks of life -and not only men- fall victim to that nagging urge that often begins in puberty and relentlessly becomes stronger, often well past middle age. The news is replete with examples of Presidents, Evangelists, Priests, and Teachers -as well as common people- willing to risk everything for a few moments of pleasure. Just what mechanism accounts for driving a person to that madness who can otherwise sacrifice other forms of “fun in the short-run” in order to make long-term financial investments? Perhaps we could give a name to this condition, like “AGD” (atavistic groping disorder) or “SHD” (sexual harassment disorder), or perhaps even AMAGD (Arnold's Male Atavistic Groping Disorder).
I don't know if there is an easy answer to this behavioral problem that is rampant in every country and culture, and has been from the beginning of recorded history until the present day -and I'm not sure I am ready to live in the utopian sexless society that would identify and neuter these “problem” males... but for now I think I will just snort some more soma.
George Posten
Parting thought:
Now ladies, before you sell us guys short:
You're right; we will never know the pain of childbirth -but most of us have felt intense pain and we CAN imagine what that much pain would be like, most of us have been endowed with empathy.
You're right; we will never fully understand the female psyche -however, you may know what it's like to drive under the influence of alcohol, but the majority of you will never know what it is like to live under the influence of testosterone.
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