Incest
Is incest instinctively avoided or taught?
4.5 (24)
49 mins
Explore how incest is viewed as both a crime and a cultural catastrophe in many societies. Discover the historical and psychological interpretations of incest, from royal politics in Egypt to Freud's infamous Oedipus complex.
Ep 1:
Unpacking the Universal Taboo
Martin Landry kicks off a scholarly deep-dive into incest, unraveling why defining it is so fraught and testing whether avoidance is instinct or culture through the Westermarck effect and kibbutz evidence.
Ep 2:
Broken Bonds and Freud's Ghost
Freud's personal demons reshaped psychoanalytic theory on incest, while researchers confront the grim clinical realities of abusive family dynamics, offender psychology, and the fragile safeguards meant to protect children.
Ep 3:
Empires, Gods, and Forbidden Unions
From Rome's scandal-laden dynasties to Egypt's royal sibling marriages, and later the Reformation's clashing Catholic and Protestant rulebooks, ancient law and religion wrestled with forbidden family ties.
Ep 4:
When the Village Fears the Curse
Across the Trobriands, Bali, and beyond, communities believe incest unleashes cosmic wrath—curses, plagues, and exile—revealing how deeply taboo violations threaten social order itself.
Ep 5:
Weaving the Threads Together
Bringing biology, psychology, history, and anthropology together, this closing exploration asks what truly unifies humanity's incest taboos and why no single theory tells the whole story.
Discussions (16)
Virginia
Level 8 · 9 mo agoAgrippina and Nero are such a gross ship lmao
York
Level 6 · 9 mo agoFreud claiming everyone wants to bang their mom is a massive self report. Westermarck had actual data while Freud was just projecting his own issues.
Clement
Level 5 · 9 mo agoThe way Roman women were used as political pawns is gross. Sadly not much has changed since then.
