Podcast Episode Details
Back to Podcast Episodes
Should We Slut Shame?
In this thought-provoking discussion, we analyze the historical roots and social purpose behind the practice of "slut shaming." We explain how in monogamous societies, sexual promiscuity by some women lowers the value proposition for more chaste women. This creates motivations to apply social costs to casual sex.
We argue slut shaming emerges as a way to enforce cultural norms around sexuality and relationships without needing formal legal coercion. Shaming works best inside a cultural in-group. Attempting to shame outsiders often backfires by making your own group seem regressive.
We also discuss whether slut shaming still "makes sense" today, as cultural norms have shifted. Ultimately we contend it remains relevant for traditionalists seeking partners with low "body counts." Signaling those values clearly is worthwhile, though trying to broadly change mainstream behavior is pointless.
Malcolm Collins: [00:00:00] You know, infrared systems.
Simone Collins: But what are you hunting for humans? No,
Malcolm Collins: you don't hunt for humans not smoke. We don't talk about that Yes, this is recording now. You can't talk about that Thing for our friends This is a joke, obviously we don't hunt humans recreationally at night we don't engage in
Simone Collins: the ultimate sport
Malcolm Collins: You don't call it the ultimate sport.
It is a sport. I'd hardly say it's the best sport. It's anything mediocre because we don't like it.
Simone Collins: Isn't the ultimate sport winning hearts? Right.
Malcolm Collins: Yes! That's the ultimate sport, Throne. Mm hmm, yeah, that's the ultimate sport. I really admire you. Okay, so this episode is a good one, I hope, I hope. What we're going to talk about is slut shaming.
We're going to talk about why [00:01:00] People may slut shame. Like why historically this train came about because like people don't just hurt other people for no reason, right? Like if they're shaming you, if they're doing something, there's a reason for that. Either it's an immediate self interested reason or it's because cultural groups that engaged in this practice outcompeted cultural groups that didn't engage in this practice.
In the case of slut shaming, it's a bit of both. And then we're going to evaluate. In a modern context, does slut shaming still make sense? With this question being asked in two categories. Does slut shaming make sense if you slut shame people of other cultural groups? Like, does that have utility? And does slut shaming make sense within a cultural group?
Does it make sense to slut shame members of your own cultural group? So first, Simone, do you want to go over what slut shaming is for people who may not know?
Simone Collins: Ah, yes. Slut shaming involves both male and female public [00:02:00] criticism, often to other people, though often to the subject themselves of someone's sexual promiscuity.
So I think a lot of people define a slut as someone who actually like sleeps around a lot. bUt slut shaming in its traditional context could involve literally just shaming a young woman for losing her virginity early. And just then call her a slut because she like literally had sex with her boyfriend at age 16 or something.
And it is It is an interesting innovation. It's been around for a long time. Well,
Malcolm Collins: hold on. I'd expand it further there. Another area where I often see slut shaming, and I think this is, you know, when I remember in high school
Simone Collins: Oh, just for dress, right? Just looking
Malcolm Collins: sexually provocative? No, I get it.
It's just dress or action. You know, when I didn't like a woman I remember in groups, they call them the sluts, you know, and I th
Published on 2 years, 1 month ago