Why is incest considered morally wrong by most societies?

Question

Why?

4ngelic · Accepted Answer

At a biological level we are repulsed by very close genes or people we grew up very close to as a baby and toddler. Except in rare exceptions, mostly royals who were too concerned too much with keeping the power like the Habsburgs or the Ptolemaic dynasty, people even in prehistory didn't practice immediate family incest and it was always a big taboo. Why it's bad to have a kid with a parent or a sibling is that the resulting child will be abnormal. And the longer the chain of incest goes, the more horrific the results. The only kind of incest that was more common was first or second cousin marriages. Still in places like pakistan it's common. But biologically it's still not very advantageous, 1 in 4 will be born with deformitites and/or handicaps.

Basically we biologically don't associate our immediate families with reproduction, and babies from incest are not healthy and normal often.

ushagomez · Accepted Answer

Because most societies understand the genetic risks and would never risk imposing those consequences upon anyone.

Maybe_Maybe_not · Accepted Answer

Different explanations from different schools, it seems...

Some consider that incest is instinctively repulsive, then a moral rule was later built upon this repulsion by societies. Though manifestly not universally repulsive, as there are many criminal cases involving incest in any society, for any era considered.

Some consider that this moral rule was initially built upon politics and opportunity, because facilitating marriage and reproduction outside of the tribe made alliances possible between different clans.

Side note, some suggest that incest aversion works on people not only due to the act itself but also because revealing the act is easily silenced by society. Because society would feel better, in general, when avoiding mentions of the topic altogether

RavVid · Accepted Answer

Even in the tribal days, the tribes exchanged either daughters or sons with other tribes. During the Agriculural Revolution it was standardized that daughters left their home and joined the husbands family.

It does seem that there is inbuilt inhibition to get off with children you were raised with. The Israeli kibbutz is often cited. There are few marriages within a kibbutz so there does seem an evolutionary mechanism to prevent inbreeding.

The reason incest is abhorred is of course that it gets very confusing when the husband is simultaneously the father, uncle, cousin and nephew of the wife. So it had to be banned so that when she called out Uncle not all the men responded.

OneViewpoint · Answer

I'm guessing health class and biology were confusing for you. Incest creates a higher probability of passing on recessive genes that could result in birth defects. If you don't see that as a moral and ethical problem, you have a problem. And then there's the purely sociological problem of a parent having sex with their child or a sibling having sex with their sister or brother. It creates a weird power dynamic when a parent or aunt/uncle are involved. And even with siblings or cousins it can get weird within a family.

Anonymous · Answer

Incest is mentioned in the bible and discouraged.

A lot of laws, moral lessons in the bible are based on common sense.

First mention of incest in the bible was lot who was seduced by his two daughters. Anyway incest has negative effects on DNA of children. Sure a father and daughter, uncle and niece, brother and sister, cousins etc may be lucky and have a healthy child but successive generations will not. You see what happened with the European Hasburg dynasty where they were so inbred that the hasburg rulers of Austria were having trouble having healthy kid. The last hasburg ruler of spain was so inbred that he was mentally and physically disabled, his tongue was so enlarged he couldn't speak and couldn't have kids as he was impotent.

Then you just have to look at muslims who practice cousin marraige over multiple generations.

MerakSahibi · Answer

A psychologically healthy person does not develop sexual attraction toward people they grew up with under the same roof, whether they are biologically related or not.

On the other hand, it is possible to feel attraction toward a biological sibling whom you meet for the first time, though I still find it disgusting.

Societies that accepted incest were generally ones with rigid class hierarchies.

As far as I know, in Ancient Egypt, Iran, and New Zealand, the ruling dynasties maintained their bloodlines through incestuous relationships. Each social class reproduced within its own group. Just imagine it: you're supposedly the ruler of the country, even the leaves are said to obey your command, yet your only option is to have sex with your own sister.

genericname85 · Answer

cause biologically, procreation happens to diversify the gene pool. diversifying the gene pool is important cause that's how our species survives. incest is doing the opposite: homogenizing the gene pool. so that is litterally contraproductive to the long term survival of our species. and the reason it's illegal in lots of societies is because that will have a very high rate of generating birth defects. cause that's how fast you'll notice a homogenious gene pool. it doesn't need several generations.

Zack-Bann · Answer

It’s evolutionary.
All living organisms realized millions of years ago that inbreeding created defective offspring
So they developed a natural repulsion to it
Which later became social as well.
Now it’s utterly demonized.
As it should be I might add

AviatorTom · Answer

Incest can lead to pregnancy and, because of genetics, can result in physical abnormalities.

Also, and perhaps this is more important, it's best to expand the genepool, since that leads to stringer and more durable humans over time. Incest doesn't do that.

Chazmatazz269 · Answer

Experience has taught us that long term inbreeding results in congenital defects. It’s frowned upon because it literally threatens the longevity of bloodlines and anything that threatens bloodlines threatens the species.

AubrieMorman · Answer

Because it leads to more people with genetic disorders, disabilities etc and even if some siblings are just trying to play it safe and not have kids, it just makes the whole environment odd

Stuff like that just needs to stay as a fantasy

strateguy632 · Answer

incest is so bad , so bad the my mytake was deleted for mentioning it. i guess you are not a trump supporter so you can say it?

Paige2006 · Answer

It happens more often than most people realize

exitseven · Answer

When you breeed bloodlines to closely whether it is dogs, horses or people there are genetic consequences.

capriVib · Answer

Maybe because the children are more likely to be born with Down syndrome?

Anonymous · Answer

They probably saw that sex with a relative caused birth defects and so made it socially not acceptable to prevent that from happening.

foxsquirrell · Answer

Its not just morally wrong but genetically wrong! I don't know why it is considered morally wrong. Until a find an answer I will keep considering morally wrong though. That's my choice.

loveyouoak · Answer

Because it is a perversion, it is considered morally wrong.

Anonymous · Answer

Because it can cause medical problems for the offspring.

Hellraiser1984 · Answer

Because it's pretty much one of the grossest things you could ever do.

Hispanic-Cool-Guy · Answer

Because its disgusting and seriously disturbing to be having sex with a close relative.

Agape93 · Answer

... bruh @Ez-Bri-Z_v2

molonski2 · Answer

Inbreeding for one creates deformities..

Anonymous · Answer

Risk of genetic defects

FrodoSkywalker007 · Answer

Is it acceptable in yours?

AngryCarl3 · Answer

Because it's morally wrong.

jahaims · Answer

No way you are that stupid

DirtyOldMan777 · Answer

Look at the British royalty to understand why

Brady · Answer

crippled kids?

Why is incest considered morally wrong by most societies?

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