Why Do We Kiss?

[April_Rose]

I don't know maybe this counts as being science related. Does anybody know why we kiss people that we love as showing affection? I can understand hugging somebody because you want to be close to them, but kissing I've never been too sure of why we do that. :/

 

[Cristo Rei]

I don't know maybe this counts as being science related. Does anybody know why we kiss people that we love as showing affection? I can understand hugging somebody because you want to be close to them, but kissing I've never been too sure of why we do that. :/

That's an interesting question. Iv never thought about that... Why do humans kiss
We see other creatures hugging in the animal kingdom but do any other animals kiss? I don't think so, it seems to be a human thing.

Im not a psychologist but the subject does interest me and I was recently thinking about the mental health benefits from giving and receiving hugs and kisses and the mental harm that a person can experience from a lack of kisses and hugs.

I wonder if every society in history kissed or if its a western thing or... Hmmm...
I might have to ponder the question some more and look into it further I think

 

[dev553344]

From the BBC article: (Why do humans kiss each other when most animals don't?)

The oldest evidence of a kissing-type behaviour comes from Hindu Vedic Sanskrit texts from over 3,500 years ago. Kissing was described as inhaling each other's soul. In contrast, Egyptian hieroglyphics picture people close to each other rather than pressing their lips together.

 

[Cristo Rei]

From the BBC article: (Why do humans kiss each other when most animals don't?)

The oldest evidence of a kissing-type behaviour comes from Hindu Vedic Sanskrit texts from over 3,500 years ago. Kissing was described as inhaling each other's soul. In contrast, Egyptian hieroglyphics picture people close to each other rather than pressing their lips together.

Thanks. That was a great article... It starts with...
"A new study finds that half of human cultures don't practice romantic lip-on-lip kissing"

That is interesting... They studied 168 cultures, only 46% of them kiss in a romantic sense... Some culture even called it disgusting...

You can divide kissing into two categories I think... Romantic and friendly

So then... Is kissing something natural or is it a social construct???

The article makes some interesting suggestions. It could be an excuse to get close to her and smell her pheromones to sense if she's into you.
U might be thinking that's crazy but it happens subconsciously, no one is actually thinking that

Romantic kissing is mentioned in the bible as well I think? Jesus kisses someone or gets kissed I think as well...
But it's in then the old testament too, which would supersede these Hindu texts which she cites at 3,500 years ago.
I feel like it's more of a western thing after reading about that study. I wonder how the Asians viewed kissing in their history

Interesting topic but @April_Rose ... Id like to hear what other people think about kissing... Where did it come from? Why?

 

[Renniks]

Biblically, kissing was a form of greeting, nothing romantic about it. Men kissed each other in greeting, but I don't think they kissed women in greeting.
Kissing in the way most do romantically is a physical connection that, lets' face it, is sexual foreplay. I'm not saying you should never kiss anyone you aren't married to, I'm just saying that french kissing is certainly a form of sexual contact.

 

[Tone]

Humans kiss, because of this verse:

Psalms 2:12
"Kiss the Son, lest he be angry, and ye perish from the way, when his wrath is kindled but a little. Blessed are all they that put their trust in him."

Well, the Son anyway...




Humans kiss each other, because our lips are the natural interface with...our face...which is, like, the seat of consciousness...

I like to kiss females, because, well...

The taste, the texture, the intimacy, etc... Make me feel good...and kissing is a good way to gauge just how much someone is into you.

*Oh yeah, if I'm really into you...I'll lick your teeth...!

 

[April_Rose]

Btw, I'm not just talking about romantic kissing here, I'm talking about why do parents kiss their babies and children? It's like some sort of instinct or something but just exactly how and where it came from I always sort of pondered on.

 

[Irwin Fletcher]

Biblically, kissing was a form of greeting, nothing romantic about it. Men kissed each other in greeting, but I don't think they kissed women in greeting.
Kissing in the way most do romantically is a physical connection that, lets' face it, is sexual foreplay. I'm not saying you should never kiss anyone you aren't married to, I'm just saying that french kissing is certainly a form of sexual contact.

I lived in a culture where it was normal to kiss others in greeting. You were more likely to kiss someone who was a friend of the same sex, than of the opposite sex. (on the cheek) People would kiss the hands of elders as a sign of respect. I'm not there now, but I can imagine Covid has made it complicated. I personally wonder how the worldwide media culture and especially Hollywood has impacted things like this. Are there cultures that do things like kiss now that didn't before because of this American export?

 

[Hidden In Him]

I don't know maybe this counts as being science related. Does anybody know why we kiss people that we love as showing affection? I can understand hugging somebody because you want to be close to them, but kissing I've never been too sure of why we do that. :/

Romantically? Because it is from the lips and the eyes that the heart speaks. When our lips touch the lips of someone we love, we are saying we love their soul; the essence of their being. When love is felt very deeply for another person, kissing is essentially one heart communicating to another that it wants to be joined together as one. If close eye contact is made, this communicates the message all the more.

 

[Cristo Rei]

How about just waving to strangers... Is that normal?

Is it normal to say hi to a stranger walking by?

In the cities we're taught not to talk to strangers in the odd chance they might be criminals. It's the wrong mentality I think. Country people wave at strangers and say hi... I think it's normal

 

[Addy]

Personally... I only kiss babies and dogs... LOL

 

[April_Rose]

How about just waving to strangers... Is that normal?

Is it normal to say hi to a stranger walking by?

In the cities we're taught not to talk to strangers in the odd chance they might be criminals. It's the wrong mentality I think. Country people wave at strangers and say hi... I think it's normal

I don't know, I don't think anybody is stranger than me.

 

[Curtis]

I don't know maybe this counts as being science related. Does anybody know why we kiss people that we love as showing affection? I can understand hugging somebody because you want to be close to them, but kissing I've never been too sure of why we do that. :/

Because it’s more fun than rubbing noses together like Eskimos?