MovieChat Forums > The Blue Lagoon (1980) Discussion > Is kissing instinctual?

Is kissing instinctual?

posted 12 years ago by farfolomew
8 replies | jump to latest

I haven't seen this movie in a long time, however, I just watched the sequel and in it they immediately start smooching in a "civilized" way. That made me think about the whole notion of kissing in general. It is quite an odd concept when you think about it. What other animals perform this same act when procreating? I don't think it's instinctual...in fact there's a whole slew of things I wonder what's natural and what's learned. This movie is an interesting case study about nature and mankind!

[–] xenophile2002 12 years ago

Humans in every culture kiss, so it would seem to be something we've done since we've been human, if not longer.

And I'm going to go for "longer," because our closest relatives, chimpanzees and bonobos, also kiss. I don't know about gorillas or other primates, but humans, chips, and bonobos kiss. So kissing goes way, WAY back.

Also, I think I saw somebody kissing in the stereoscopes they kept looking at.

I disagree with you, but I'm pretty sure you're not Hitler.
- Jon Stewart

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] djgjd 12 years ago

I'm sure that they saw adults kiss, if only a quick peck on the lips, before they went on the ship. They were probably both kissed by their mothers. The first was Em quickly giving a peck. That led to other kisses and deeper kisses. It seams reasonable to me.

[–] tallard 12 years ago

Indeed, kissing is not an absolute cultural thing. But the kids had been somewhat exposed to civilisation before being stranded. I teach 5 y/o in school and they're often wanting to kiss each other on the mouth, they're imitating their parents.

***So I've seen 4 movies/wk in theatre for a 1/4 century, call me crazy?**

[–] 12 years ago

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[–] farfolomew 12 years ago

Eh, I'm not wholly convinced yet that it's 100% natural, but rather entirely a device of our emotional creation. You don't see dogs or cats at long lengths with mouths entwined. They'll sniff or lick but not smooch, especially not french hehe

Well that about sums up my knowledge of animal behavior, but it just seems to me that people kiss only because it's been taught to them that it signifies deep emotional contact with another entity.

[–] Elkabong1940 9 years ago

The only instinctual act the human is born with is sucking. As children they had to be kissed by their parents but kissing is not instinctual. Don't Eskimos rub noses.

[–] Elkabong1940 9 years ago

The only instinctual act the human is born with is sucking. As children they had to be kissed by their parents but kissing is not instinctual. Don't Eskimos rub noses.