The Human Sexes 01: Different But Equal

I frequently try to post entries exploring the animal kingdom, and it is probably time to explore the most interesting animal of all: humans. And what better way to start than by trying to understand the perennial question of why men and women are so different?

This is the first part of a fascinating documentary series, written and narrated by Desmond Morris, exploring the differences and similarities between men and women. Arguing against tabula rasa and social constructivist theories, Morris attempts to empirically show that sex and gender differences have a strong biological basis, and are not merely the result of cultural pressures, though these do have a tendency to reinforce (or sometimes repress) already existing biological predispositions.

In this first episode, Morris explores physical differences between the sexes and starts moving toward mental and psychological differences that can be explained by appealing to simple evolutionary principles.

There's all kinds of goodies here: dancing, bodybuilding, group allegiance, hunting, strippers, history, Turkish olive oil wrestling, spacial navigation, Mardi Gras, mass behavior, brain scans, girls and horses (yeah, seriously!), psychological suggestibility, and the modern expression of traits that were once adaptive, but which no longer are (at least not in the same way they once were). Oh yeah, in case you're wondering, there's also a good deal of nudity.

If you've never thought about human beings as biological organisms, prepare to be fascinated...

Did you try the test crossing your legs? That whole double-cross task is almost impossible!!!
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