Is "accidental" incest inevitable in the near future?
By cloudwatcher
@cloudwatcher (6861)
Australia
December 28, 2006 9:59pm CST
With the ever-increasing numbers of single mothers, and mothers with children from a number of partners, is it inevitable that in years to come we will have half-brothers and sisters partnering together? Maybe this will be even more probable in smaller communities?
What do you think? Do you think there can be safeguards against this happening?
1 person likes this
8 responses
@cclay34 (486)
• United States
29 Dec 06
I think that the possibility already exist and has for many years. Its not uncommon to hear about people who have married or had a child together and find out later that they are related either as cousins or brother and sister.
Part of these are truely accidental but I imagine part involve people who knew all along and only claim that they didnt know after being discovered.
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
29 Dec 06
Yes, I've heard of cases where this has happened, and not only recently. I do suspect that it will mushroom before long and I wonder what effect it will have on society with much in-breeding.
Thanks for your response.
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
29 Dec 06
I wonder when it comes to these studies, how many people were in the study? If there were only a hundred people surveyed then the test cannot be all that accurate. I would look further into the study before buying it. People's lives are on the line.
@cclay34 (486)
• United States
29 Dec 06
I'm not condoning incest in any way but I really dont think it will have as big a negative impact as we are led to believe. There have been many places on earth where people have interbred and created entire populations without serious consiquence. Years ago I read a study about the affects of incest and the children born there of. We have been taught that incest is bad, that incest creats retarded babies etc, etc, The church is the main cause of these beliefs, they have always pushed these beliefs on the people as a scare tactic because incest is imoral and against the laws of God, However, years ago I read a scientific study about incestuas relationships and the children born from them and the study concluded that the percentage of children with birth defects were no higher than with children from other marriages were the parents had no blood relationship.
@Anakata2007 (1783)
• Canada
5 Mar 07
Good point. I always wonderered about this. Yes I think this will happen more in the future and is probably happening now as we speak.
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
5 Mar 07
I know of a few in smaller communities.
I believe it will increase.
@gabs8513 (48686)
• United Kingdom
2 Jan 07
No I think it will happen if it isn't already because for all they know they could have the same Fathere or the same Mother
Like you say there are a lot People now with Children who do not have the same Dad so if he has Fathered another Child somewhere and they do not know about each other or Possibly even the Father doesn't know about it then it will happen and I do not believe there is anything that can be done to stop it
@Alexandria37 (5717)
• Ireland
29 Dec 06
I would say that this is already happening in quite a few places. I live in a very small community and I know of a few cases where it has happened. Can't say whether or not it was accidental though. I have to be very careful not to discuss people when I meet the neighbours as it might often be the case that they are related to the person of whom I am speaking.
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
29 Dec 06
Thanks for your comments Alexandria. I agree that smaller communities will experience more of this than larger cities. It is rather scary for future generations, isn't it?
@armywifey (882)
• United States
29 Dec 06
I think that is very possible. Maybe more so in smaller towns and communities. I think if it happens to much they could do DNa testing before a marriage is able to happen.
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
29 Dec 06
Unfortunately many people these days have children without marriage. DNA testing can't be enforced in these cases.
Thanks for your response.
@maildumpster (3815)
• United States
2 Mar 07
I never gave this any thought. Now that you have brought it up; I think you are right. This could happen. Heck it happened in Star Wars.
I don't think there are ways of ensuring it didn't happen short of everyone having DNA tests to see if they are related.
@cloudwatcher (6861)
• Australia
4 Mar 07
I don't know anything about Star Wars but I know of several cases where it has already happened in small communities. I also know of cases where the child has been mentally "backward" as a result.
The only way to prevent it is a return to decent morality, but that is highly unlikely.
Thanks for your response.
@imadriscoll (2228)
• United States
29 Dec 06
I live in a pretty rural area where most of the schools have been consolidated and therefore, students from five different communities may attend the school. I moved to this community and on a number of occasions our friends have told stories of while in highschool they found out that they were dating their cousin. It is common place for students to go home and ask to date a certain classmate (not for the sake of permission, but to ensure that they aren't already related).
I think that our children will be considered very "datable" when they reach dating age, because they won't be related to any of their classmates!! There will be a large pool of people who could only date our children, because they're related to everyone else! I'm not sure that this is a good thing!
@Darkwing (21583)
•
5 Mar 07
I think this has been in existence for a while now, judging by the discussions I've seen in here about boys being in love with their sisters and girls with their brothers.
It's not always accidental either, I'm afraid. They are aware of the other person being their step-sibling. So, with this happening, what's going to become of the children of the future? I dread to think, don't you, Cloud.
Thank you for this interesting discussion and brightest blessings, my friend.
