Regarding the topic at hand...honestly, I'd say it's a combination, like most things, of nature and nurture, and ultimately, a person's own choice to entertain certain fantasies or be repulsed (and by "be repulsed" I don't mean "feel disgusted" but actually make the conscious choice to avoid thinking about them) by them. It would vary from person to person. I don't think it requires a traumatic event--that's Freud speaking, and I have a very low opinion of him (no, I do not want a penis, tyvm)--it just boils down to that some people like some things.

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Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after

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That description really wasn't necessary--we didn't need to know all of that in order to discuss fetishes and paraphilia. I mean, kudos for you liking what you like, but I don't want to know about it, and to get to the point of your post, I had to read it. So thanks.

Regarding the topic at hand...honestly, I'd say it's a combination, like most things, of nature and nurture, and ultimately, a person's own choice to entertain certain fantasies or be repulsed (and by "be repulsed" I don't mean "feel disgusted" but actually make the conscious choice to avoid thinking about them) by them. It would vary from person to person. I don't think it requires a traumatic event--that's Freud speaking, and I have a very low opinion of him (no, I do not want a penis, tyvm)--it just boils down to that some people like some things.

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Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 3:01 am on Jan. 2, 2009

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That description really wasn't necessary--we didn't need to know all of that in order to discuss fetishes and paraphilia. I mean, kudos for you liking what you like, but I don't want to know about it, and to get to the point of your  post, I had to read it. So thanks.  

 Regarding the topic at hand...honestly, I'd say it's a combination, like most things, of nature and nurture, and ultimately, a person's own choice to entertain certain fantasies or be repulsed (and by "be repulsed" I don't mean "feel disgusted" but actually make the conscious choice to avoid thinking about them) by them. It would vary from person to person. I don't think it requires a traumatic event--that's Freud speaking, and I have a very low opinion of him (no, I do not want a penis, tyvm)--it just boils down to that some people like some things.

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For reasons unknown, some fetishes can really get very strange. But I don't think that penis envy is considered a fetish. Just my two cents.

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I wasn't referring to penis envy; I was pointing out the fact that Freud tended to have beliefs that people developed fetishes and such because of traumatic events in their childhood...all those theories stem from Freudian psychology.

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Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after

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For reasons unknown, some fetishes can really get very strange. But I don't think that penis envy is considered a fetish. Just my two cents.

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Suddenly stating that one doesn't want a penis when no such suggestion was made, clearly illustrates this subconsciously lingering angst. It doesn't take a Freudian genius to figure that out.

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Why are we here, if we are here at all?

Your fetish is kind of disgusting but I guess it doesn't really matter you can just convince your girlfriend to like shit her own pants in front of you, as weird a conversation as that would be.

I don't know much about fetishes and how they work, but I would imagine they are not inherited, but rather environmentally produced and stimulated.

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O` tru apothecary!
Thy drugs are quick.
Thus with a kiss I die.

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I wasn't referring to penis envy; I was pointing out the fact that Freud tended to have beliefs that people developed fetishes and such because of traumatic events in their childhood...all those theories stem from Freudian psychology.

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Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 2:12 am on Jan. 9, 2009

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I wasn't referring to penis envy; I was pointing out the fact that Freud tended to have beliefs that people developed fetishes and such because of traumatic events in their childhood...all those theories stem from Freudian psychology.

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My mistake, I think. What did you mean when you said,
"no, I do not want a penis, tyvm?"
Did I miss something?

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I was referring to Freud's idea of "penis envy" being some sort of motivating factor for women in their sexual development. It's essentially been discredited in most psychoanalytic circles. You can read more about it here.

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Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after

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Quote: from omnifariam at 4:09 am on Jan. 13, 2009

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Quote: from exceedinglyrare at 2:12 am on Jan. 9, 2009

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I wasn't referring to penis envy; I was pointing out the fact that Freud tended to have beliefs that people developed fetishes and such because of traumatic events in their childhood...all those theories stem from Freudian psychology.

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My mistake, I think. What did you mean when you said,  
 "no, I do not want a penis, tyvm?"  
 Did I miss something?

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I was referring to Freud's idea of "penis envy" being some sort of motivating factor for women in their sexual development. It's essentially been discredited in most psychoanalytic circles. You can read more about it here.

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I know what penis envy is, and it is not a fetish. So, my question is, what relevance did it have in your previous post?

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ye are gods...

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... I know what penis envy is, and it is not a fetish. So, my question is, what relevance did it have in your previous post?

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Thank you for answering my question.

I know what penis envy is, and it is not a fetish. So, my question is, what relevance did it have in your previous post?

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I could've sworn I answered this already. I was throwing it in there as a reference to Freudian psychology to say how I, personally, believe it's bunk, as do most psychoanalysts. I don't see why that's difficult for you to pick up on or understand, but there you go.

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Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after

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Quote: from omnifariam at 4:49 am on Jan. 14, 2009

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Thank you for answering my question.  

 I know what penis envy is, and it is not a fetish. So, my question is, what relevance did it have in your previous post?

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I could've sworn I answered this already. I was throwing it in there as a reference to Freudian psychology to say how I, personally, believe it's bunk, as do most psychoanalysts. I don't see why that's difficult for you to pick up on or understand, but there you go.

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Freud did propose it, among other things, but like I said earlier, I don't see its relevance in your post. Freud's views on fetishes having roots in past experiences have nothing to do with penis envy.

Like you said, I may be dense, but that's the way I understand it, anyway.

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ye are gods...

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Thank you for answering.

Freud did propose it, among other things, but like I said earlier, I don't see its relevance in your post. Freud's views on fetishes having roots in past experiences have nothing to do with penis envy.

Like you said, I may be dense, but that's the way I understand it, anyway.

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You're still missing what I was saying. I wasn't saying that penis envy had anything to do with fetishes, but was just using it as an example of why I think most Freudian psychology is bunk.

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Let yourself be enchanted,
You just might break through
To ever ever after

I am bisexual and therefore I feel attraction to both males and females, however I am weighted in my attraction and I will often find myself more aroused to those of the male persuasion (distinct weighting appears to be common amongst bisexuals). Because this goes against the "natural order" in which states that man will love/lust for women... I believe somewhere in my childhood there is an event or events which invoked strong emotion - perhaps positive.
I was very close to my best friend (a male). He was pretty much my only friend before I was a teenager. However, he had other friends (of the opposite gender as well). Anyway, somewhere down the line we had some, well, slightly sexual experiences (not involving sex) and I enjoyed them thoroughly. Perhaps so much so that I became "connected" with this friend of mine.. First love? Well, I wouldn't go that far. Nevertheless, these events were extremely positive, happy and enjoyable. Perhaps more than I ever have been in any other time of my life.

So all in all, I'd probably say sexuality and fetishism are products of strong emotional events of childhood - not just traumatic events. There also may be some genetic susceptibility in there.. Perhaps some people are less inclined to be effected by strong emotional response? :P

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Genetics is fate. Change our genes, achieve free will.