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Sep 22, 2017
The Libido Personality Spectrum Tapestry (v.2)
The Libido
Personality Spectrum
Tapestry

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A Note to Diana Collins
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Author's Note
Preface
How this May Work
Introduction
The Big Picture
Research Articles
     Genetic or Heritable Contributions to Sexually Related Behaviors
Summary Essays
     Sex Drive: How Do Men and Women Compare?
     Gender Differences and Similarities in Sexuality
     Compulsive Sexual Behavior
     Reaction to Assault
     Others
Commentaries
     Music and Videos
Multiple Filters in Play
Issues


Offered by David Apollo

Author's Note
[ Love pic palm tree ]
The impact of the Libido Personality Spectrum Tapestry, depending on how effective its "setting" is, will be seen as enabling a spectrum of behaviors leading to interest, desire, lust, attraction, sexual arousal, pursuit, conquest. It is itself made up of an ensemble of influential components and traits.

This chapter is: Version #2.0.

This chapter is currently offered "as is" to get introductory information out to the ConserveLiberty audience for their review.
"I have a Y chromosome ... We think differently." - David Apollo

→ The Author's Note was last updated 23 Sep 2017 22:25 PDT ←


Preface
multiple filters picture
We start each Personality Spectrum Filter discussion by reminding the reader several things about the filters, ensembles, and tapestries. Click there.
The biological and genetic basis underlying human personality is expected to be quite complex, with many component parts. By no means is it implied or should it be construed that the Libido Personality Spectrum Tapestry is the result of a single gene. Rather, an ensemble of biological parts are necessary to be expressed and put together just right so that a person's individual place on the Libido Tapestry is determined.
In fact, with regard to the Libido Tapestry it is probably a bit more clarifying to reiterate the statements above in a more declarative manner:
There is no single gene (whose expression or structure is variable and can be altered,) or for that matter a single event, that is causative of "actually getting it". Either by genetic variation, environmental influence, or random fluctuation resulting in a recognizable clinical impact. And thus, more generally, there is no single gene or environmental influence that results in our ability or inability to correctly Identify, Imagine, Regard or actively Pursue that to which we are sexually or otherwise attracted.


About Libido, and defining (or calling out) what that term means when ConserveLiberty uses it:
Many consider "libido" to refer to sexually focused behaviors, such as sexual attraction, the desire to "want some," etc. ConserveLiberty considers libido from a much more "root component" or "foundational" perspective, one that is a prerequisite component of "sexual desire" and other "desires" or "impulses".

[ id, ego, superego pic ]
Others have felt similarly, and proposed similarly. The concept of Sigmund Freud's Id is that which is purely instinctive in origin. From Id originates libido - an instinctual force that acts apart from the demands of reality, seeking immediate gratification of any impulse, sexual or otherwise. Similarly, Carl Jung defined libido as "psychic energy", manifesting itself subjectively as "striving and desire."

From ConserveLiberty's perspective, the Libido Tapestry is composed of a variety of Libido Ensembles. One of those, for example, would be the Sexual Libido Personality Spectrum Ensemble.

Since ALL humans possess Libido, a result of the Libido Personality Spectrum Tapestry, it turns out that both men and women express and experience libido as a core driver of their interaction with reality. However, it is also true that Libido is manifested differently by men than by women. This is true both from a sexual orientation and interpretation perspective as well as the driven interactions with reality from other, non-sexual perspectives.
We will use one example to illustrate this sexual libido dimorphism to the reader. There are thousands of other examples that could have been chosen.
Consider the typically observed relationship between humans and domesticated dogs.

Generally, both dogs and humans are comfortable around each other. There are a few exceptions, as there always are. There is also a demographic difference regarding how that "comfortable" relationship expresses itself. That difference can be seen in how the typical relationship (or interaction) between Men and Dogs differs from the typical one between Women and Dogs.

multiple filters picture
multiple filters picture
In both cases, men and women (who like dogs) are friendly to their dogs, and are concerned about their dogs' issues, feeding, treatment, etc. However, observe them closely in similar situations. There is often a difference that is so subtle that it may not be noticed, because outward appearances seem so similar. Watch the way, for example, men walking dogs on a leash differ from women walking dogs on a leash.

It is likely true that both have them on a leash because they are concerned about control, either for the safety of others or for the safety of the dog. Yet, look closely. One is walking the dog on a leash for control, and is doing so as a tyrant (meaning, "that the dog has no option IS the intended reality.") The other is walking the dog on a leash as its friend (meaning, "we need to hang together, and I'm just wanting to make sure you are safe.")

Both may be friendly in action, yet one is "tyrant" in intention and the other is "friend."

This is a very subtle (and significant) difference in libido between the two genders regarding the relationship and interaction with the dog. And is the origin of the well known phrase (I say), "A Dog is Man's Best Friend."
Typically (as it is for many of the filters) many, many people actually believe that they do understand what they are drawn or attracted to and why, whether they actually do or do not. And they will insist that they do, whether they actually do or do not. In either case, most continue to believe that they really do understand what they are attracted to and why, even if oftentimes they could not anticipate it, manage it, or even determine it.

[ gauges pictures ]
Numerous genes are involved, functioning together as a tapestry of ensembles of filters, which together under the right circumstances result in our ability to be attracted or drawn to others or other things, manage how strongly and to whom (or what) we are attracted to, and manage the timing and intensity of how we respond to the activities that unfold. Whether of a sexual or non-sexual nature. We refer to all these together as the Libido Personality Spectrum Tapestry.

Of course, since neither our filters nor the information that we have currently is perfect or complete, all of us, in one way or another, consider ourselves "not optimal" - having room for improvement. These "issues" are not entirely within our intentional control. Others are. Who knows which is which? Because issues surrounding Libido have important relevance to mate selection, attraction, and reproduction, evolution has most likely selected for behaviors and perspectives that are very much interested in how our sexual partners regard our own attractiveness and performance.

Which, of course, may have little (or zero) correlation with the actual Truth of Libido, whether validatable or not.
"Some get it, if any get it. Some get some of it, if any get some of it. The rest do not." - David Apollo
→ The Preface was last updated 28 Sep 2017 11:30 PDT ←


How this May Work
The impact of the Libido Personality Spectrum Tapestry, depending on how effective its "setting" is, will be seen as enabling a spectrum of behaviors leading to interest, desire, lust, attraction, sexual arousal, pursuit, conquest. It is itself made up of an ensemble of influential components and traits.

Complicating the identification and analysis of the Libido Ensembles, for example, is that sexual stimulation and gratification is known to stimulate the Reward System in the brain, leading to habituating behaviors and many times addiction. Many of the other Libido Ensembles may actually interact with the Reward System as well. Some of these are touched on in the Multiple Filters in Play section of this chapter.
What components make up the ensembles that together we might call the Libido Personality Spectrum Tapestry? Is the Libido Filter (for short) also something that has multiple components like the other filters, each component likely dialed a little or a lot differently with each individual?

And what might those components be? Components involved in instinct, perception, response, urge. The question can be turned around, addressing the same thing but from a different direction. What is Arousing to us anyway? What components take part in that? What aspects of the perception of Reality arouse us, or draw our attention as something we want to have?

What of the differences between males and females? What of the association of sexual drive with aggression, power, ambition?

So many issues appear to impact libido. Elaborating on this tapestry will be both fascinating and very, very difficult.
Among anticipated functions (components, filters, subroutines) that may make up the Sexual Libido Personality Spectrum Ensemble, for example, are:
  • [ law of attraction pic ]
    The Attraction Filters
    • Preferred Gender Attraction - Gynephilia refers to attraction to females. Androphilia refers to attraction to males.
    • Age Attraction - The chronophilias. Some are sexually attracted to older individuals. Others younger.
    • Appearance Attraction.
    • Attitude Attraction.
    • Availability Attraction.
    • Scent Attraction.
    • Unclothed Attraction.
    • Object Attraction.
    • etc. We'll stop here for now.

Among the other Libido Ensembles we may find the influence of other functions:
  • The Outlook Filters
    • Hunter vs. Gatherer
    • Fraternal vs. Maternal
    • Dominance vs. Submissive
    • Solution vs. Feeling orientation
    • Analytical vs. Intention
    • Location and Speed vs. Presence and Absence
    • Predator vs. Prey
    • Vision differences (rod / cones / detection spectra)

  • And there are more ...
→ The "How This May Work" Section was last updated 27 Sep 2017 12:30 PDT ←




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