Editor,
The case of male violence is not normal levels of testosterone.
Studies discussed at the 1995 annual Endocrine Society revealed that men with low testosterone are more violent. One UCLA study was on 54 men with low testosterone. They were edgy, irritable and angry. After receiving testosterone, they were friendlier and more optimistic. In another study, men with normal testosterone received a drug to lower their testosterone levels; they became much more aggressive.
Low testosterone levels in men also cause reduced muscle and bone mass, low energy, heart disease, poor memory, depression, anxiety, mood swings, less sexual desire, less passion in all of life and not being able to get firm erections. Booze, cigarettes, junk food, cooked food, high stress, obesity and not enough exercise, sunshine and sleep lower testosterone.
In our society many parents spank and hit their sons much more than their daughters. Many parents hug their daughters much more than their sons. Many boys are taught that boxing, football, street fighting and war are the way to prove what a he-man you are, and that physical violence is the way real men solve their problems.
Depriving people of body pleasure throughout life, but especially during infancy, childhood and adolescence, makes the society more violent and war-crazy. Those cultures whose babies receive plenty of physical affection and where teenagers are free to pleasure each other sexually with no shame and no guilt tend to be far less violent.
The cave drawings in Europe from 5500-9500 years ago show a more peaceful way of living with relatively few scenes of men raping and killing. They show a more equal and fair society than now where women were not below men. Men and women lived as partners, celebrating sexual pleasure instead of pain and violence, making love and not war.
Tragically, after 5500 years ago in much of Europe, men dominated and despised women. The naked human body became regarded as shameful and dirty. War, violence and pain became far more popular among men than peace and sexual pleasure.
The native Tiduray people who lived in the southern Philippines in the 1960s enjoyed complete equality between men and women. Men were not above women and women were not above men in any way. Men and women deeply understood and helped each other. A spirit of harmony pervaded with no battles of men against women and no battles of women against men.
Caring and nonviolence, warmth and nurturing and sharing and empathy were not considered feminine qualities; they were human qualities, the right way for both men and women to be. Bravery and confidence, clear thinking, boldness in sex and conversation were not considered masculine qualities; they were human qualities, the right way for both men and women to be. Toughness, dominating and taking advantage of others were not right for men or for women.
The Tiduray people were marvelously healthy and always vigorous and robust, with no signs of mental illness of any kind. We have much to learn from them.
Don Schrader
Daily Lobo reader
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