Scott Alexander presents evidence supporting the legitimacy of bisexual identity, explaining why many bisexuals primarily date the opposite sex despite genuine attraction to both. Longer summary

Scott Alexander discusses the common accusation that self-identified bisexuals are faking their sexuality for trendiness. He presents statistical and biological evidence to explain why bisexuals often end up in heterosexual relationships despite genuine attraction to both sexes. The post explores dating pool sizes, social pressures, and biological arousal patterns to support the legitimacy of bisexual identity. Scott argues that as social acceptance increases, more people recognize their bisexual tendencies, even if they primarily date the opposite sex. He concludes by relating this to the original question about bisexuality and Long COVID, suggesting a possible link through neurodivergence and increased self-awareness. Shorter summary

Scott examines conflicting evidence on whether humans choose mates based on parental imprinting or genetics, concluding that mate choice might be based on mysterious romantic love. Longer summary

This post explores the question of how humans choose their mates, examining theories of imprinting on parents versus genetic influences. It reviews several studies on animals and humans, including twin studies, that provide conflicting evidence. The post starts by discussing psychoanalytic theories and animal studies supporting imprinting, then moves to human studies with mixed results. It then examines twin studies that surprisingly show little genetic influence on mate choice. The post ends with the suggestion that mate choice might be based on romantic love, which is beyond scientific understanding. Throughout, Scott maintains a skeptical and sometimes humorous tone, highlighting the complexity and contradictions in the research. Shorter summary

Scott argues against the concept of 'objectification', claiming it unnecessarily stigmatizes harmless attractions and prevents potentially beneficial relationships. Longer summary

Scott criticizes the concept of 'objectification' or 'fetishization', particularly in response to writings by Ozy. He argues that the concept is flawed and potentially harmful, preventing mutually beneficial relationships from forming. Scott contends that being attracted to specific characteristics is not inherently wrong, and that the real issue is when people ignore consent, not objectification itself. He uses various examples to illustrate his point, including hypothetical scenarios and personal anecdotes. The post challenges the idea that having preferences or 'fetishes' is inherently problematic, suggesting that open communication about desires is more beneficial than stigmatizing them. Shorter summary