Incest: Is It a Crime — or not?
When we rode on the train along a large swamp, which was almost completely cluttered with debris, over which flocks of birds were circling, Vladimir drew our attention to it:
“Why so many birds of different species gathered there? There were the nesting grounds of their parents, as well as of many previous generations.
“There is an interesting phenomenon studied by zoologists: the imprinting of one’s own place of birth — for after seasonal or other migrations to return to breed in it. This phenomenon exists in birds, fish, aquatic mammals, and various invertebrates.
“Why does this occur? To have the best chances of finding partners for reproduction. This is necessary for sustaining different species of animals. And all healthy individuals, overcoming sometimes thousands of kilometers, find that same little piece of land, river, or sea, where they were born at! Birds are orientating during their transmigrations, being guided by the Earth's magnetic field, the fish — also on the subtle nuances of the chemical composition of the water.
“But those individuals who were not able to do this because of their different pathologies — they are deprived of the opportunity to find many potential sexual partners. But they do not lose the possibility of leaving offspring completely: they can find at those ‘wrong’ places — other stray individuals. By this way new areas are adapted by animal species.
“So,” — Vladimir continued, — “when suddenly, after returning from a distance, the animals find their ecosystems disrupted, their breeding sites disappeared or it is impossible to get to them — it is very traumatic for such animals. Imagine yourself in their place: coming home after a long journey — but there is no home…”
After a little pause to give us time to think, he spoke again:
“This topic can also be viewed from another angle. I remember that, as children in school biology classes, we were taught that inbreeding — unacceptable! It is dangerous! Defective offspring is born of such relations! Even in the whole animal world, this does not happen!
“But, as we see, this is a complete lie: in the whole animal world just the inbreeding dominates! And not close couplings — that is the lot of the disabled.
“I am not preaching the incest among humans (i.e. sexual intercourse with close relatives). But there is a ban on it — not only in the ‘public morals’, but in the laws of some countries! And let everybody think independently: is it correct? Personally I — see that the medico-biological reasons for this prohibition are not,” — Vladimir concluded.
“Why so many birds of different species gathered there? There were the nesting grounds of their parents, as well as of many previous generations.
“There is an interesting phenomenon studied by zoologists: the imprinting of one’s own place of birth — for after seasonal or other migrations to return to breed in it. This phenomenon exists in birds, fish, aquatic mammals, and various invertebrates.
“Why does this occur? To have the best chances of finding partners for reproduction. This is necessary for sustaining different species of animals. And all healthy individuals, overcoming sometimes thousands of kilometers, find that same little piece of land, river, or sea, where they were born at! Birds are orientating during their transmigrations, being guided by the Earth's magnetic field, the fish — also on the subtle nuances of the chemical composition of the water.
“But those individuals who were not able to do this because of their different pathologies — they are deprived of the opportunity to find many potential sexual partners. But they do not lose the possibility of leaving offspring completely: they can find at those ‘wrong’ places — other stray individuals. By this way new areas are adapted by animal species.
“So,” — Vladimir continued, — “when suddenly, after returning from a distance, the animals find their ecosystems disrupted, their breeding sites disappeared or it is impossible to get to them — it is very traumatic for such animals. Imagine yourself in their place: coming home after a long journey — but there is no home…”
After a little pause to give us time to think, he spoke again:
“This topic can also be viewed from another angle. I remember that, as children in school biology classes, we were taught that inbreeding — unacceptable! It is dangerous! Defective offspring is born of such relations! Even in the whole animal world, this does not happen!
“But, as we see, this is a complete lie: in the whole animal world just the inbreeding dominates! And not close couplings — that is the lot of the disabled.
“I am not preaching the incest among humans (i.e. sexual intercourse with close relatives). But there is a ban on it — not only in the ‘public morals’, but in the laws of some countries! And let everybody think independently: is it correct? Personally I — see that the medico-biological reasons for this prohibition are not,” — Vladimir concluded.
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