Genetic Fetish?

[Morgancer]

I was watching my twin sisters playing together a couple days ago (they're seven), and I noticed that they were playing a game where the entire town gets sick and there's only one Barbie that isn't sick with a sneezy cold and she had to help them all get better. This has been happening a lot with my sisters lately, and I've started to think that maybe the sneezing fetish could be a genetic thing. Still, there is the chance that it's because I used to play the same sort of games with them and they just do it now. I'm thinking that it's a nature or nurture sort of thing.

Has anyone else noticed family members showing signs of interest in sneezing and illnesses like the common cold? Or am I just being completely ludicrous in my hyperactive imagination?

[queenie]

It's an interesting idea. I have no sibling and, you know, parents, eurgh, and I've never noticed anything like that in my family. But I'm interested to see if this unearths any trends.

[I_Adore_You]

Yucky...I don't like to think about it being genetic. I HOPE it isn't. I mean....come on. Am I the only one who thinks that'd be incredibly awkward???

[chui]

i wasn't born with the fetish, so even if anyone in my family has it.... it wouldnt necessarily be genetic, just more of a *scary* coincidence.

we've had so many interesting discussions about where we all think it comes from...its a very interesting thought that it might be genetic.

[Natto]

My sister is quite interested in illness in general, though I don't think she is to quite the degree that I am. I think it's because of two things. One, our dad is a highly intellectual person who used to lecture us extensively about history and science, and one of the most interesting things he'd talk about was viral behavior--him being a microbiologist, it's what he knew the most about. My sister and I became interested in viruses and illness as a result, though me to a more extreme degree. When our dad moved out, I was going through puberty--I think I might have amplified my interest in illness as a way to connect with him at that time, and because of puberty, it became sexual. My sister is younger, and so she probably didn't get the sexual aspect. Also, since my obsession is stronger and I'm older, I wound up playing a lot of games involving illness with her, and she became interested in it through me. So I don't think it's genetic for us, so much, but there are definitely reasons.

[zneeze]

That's interesting. Hmm... Well, I've wondered the same thing too from time to time. But it seems also like something seven-year-olds would do, so it could just be the age thing. Maybe it's coincidence... maybe it's something else.

If I were you, and if it turns out in a few years that you find out they are sneeze fetishists, that would be something you could share with them, right?

[Shay]

I think kids in general tend to play around with sneezing themes. Sneezing is funny to most kids, possibly due to the fact that it gets so exaggerated in cartoons. I have this vague memory of some childhood friends pretending to sneeze in a very exaggerated way and it was a bit uncomfortable for me to say the least.

[Demosthenes]

I think I can say with certainty that none of my family have a sneezing fetish. Although, I do know my brother has a pee fetish which I think is kind of gross, but whatever...

[Morgancer]

Yeah, I was just thinking that it would be pretty funny (or odd, however you put it) if there were a bunch of people in your family who were all trying to hide the sneeze fetish and you all were pretty much the same?

[Raven]

I know my Mom once mentioned being only attracted to guys with big noses, and the first thing I thought was Hmmmmm!

Even so, I can't help but doubt the idea that it's genetic. I might be more inclined to believe that there's a genetic predisposition to having a fetish in general, but that how that gets expressed varies according to personal experience.

[Lamborghini]

I am willing to bet that my uncle, my dad's brother, has the fetish. He always stifles, never says the word sneeze, and is conspicuously embarrased about his allergies.

Lamborghini

[Quell]

Hmmm... I actually have considered this. I walked downstairs one afternoon to see my brother watching a recorded episode of this one show that had a lot of sneezing.

Thing is, it had to have been the fourth time he'd watched it this week. So I asked, "You're watching it again?" and he replied, "Yeah." And I asked, "Why? Is it funny, or something?" And he said, "Yeah, I guess it's funny... I don't know."

Very interesting thought. Although, I find part of myself hoping it isn't genetic. It kinda sets off my creepy alarm.

[Guest Katu]

OMG.

I have this exact..problem..Ish..Thing.

Bah,I think my Sis has the fetish..

See,Whenever we play games together(Yes,I do that. ) she always makes 1/2 character/s sick.

Like recently,She made Shadow and my character,Nero,Ill.

Then..After about 10 mins,I said 'Let's stop this game,OK?It's getting late.'

XDD

This is scary,cuz i've almost...Sorta..Talked to her about it.

I asked her WHY she likes sneezes..She couldn't answer..XD

BUT.

If she does find out about the fetish,I'm in trouble.

She might think I have it from knowing about that,Then..Maybe tell my MOTHA.

Halp me.

[Guest Forsaken]

I'm thinking it's really just about how your brought up and conditioned to certain things like basically your personality builds up as you live your life and is sort of... shaped by your experiences and the people you're close to, so your family i suppose could likely have a huge impact on it but still not have the fetish or anything like that.

If that helps at all hehe.

Interesting idea tho

[Guest Katu]

Hmm..

True..

;D

Thanks.

[Niceguy]

My two boys tend to "fake sneeze" or "imitate sneeze" a lot in their play. NOt sure how to read it though... personally I NEVER would have done that when I was their age. The fetish made me self-consious and uncomfortable at that point in my life (~age 6) so I didn't enjoy it at all.

Who knows?

[count tiszula]

Well, as I've said before I am convinced that it is hereditary, and I suppose for that reason I'd always assumed that my brother must have it too, and was surprised by any evidence to the contrary.

I think that a lot of us are unwilling to believe is it genetic for exactly that reason; they would not like to feel that family members might also enjoy it; yet we know from what members have said that it does happen in families, and, to deny it is really like saying that red hair [the inevitable example] can't run in families, or more sensibly, mathematical giftedness. Of course many people do deny the maths bit, or did, but I gather the doctrine is changing recently.

I don't quite understand why one sibling who has the fetish should tell the mother that the other one does; surely it would rather give away the fact that the first one does?

[Vetinari]

The difficulty with heredity is that it's hard to say whether the trait is passed genetically or whether the behaviour is learned from the relative. Unless one is separated at birth from one's parents it would be impossible to prove that such a thing was passed down genetically. I suspect my fetish is probably related to my mother's germophobic behaviour regarding colds (no idea if she is a fetishist as well but she is undoubtedly very weird about the contagion). But I could easily believe that I have picked this up from her behaviour rather than any predisposition, as could any siblings who were raised in the same environment.

I'm equivocal about this.......as ever!

[Vetinari]

There is now thought to be a link between a certain gene and the likelihood of developing criminal tendencies. Children (especially males) are more likely to become long term criminals if they have the biological predisposition which is passed down via their DNA. However such children are far more likely to become criminal if there is also a behavioural factor (child abuse, whether active or passive through neglect). Logically enough those with the genetic predisposition and the behavioural stimuli are most likely to develop these tendencies.

If criminality can have a genetic component there is no reason to suggest that genetics might not be similarly influential in other areas of behavioural delevoment such as the development of a fetish.

I was also interested to note that these criminal tendencies could be detected at a young age and were often noted when the children were of nursery school (kindergarten) age.

[sneezybreezy]

I think it is heritary too, as much as I don't want to admit that my parents might have it..

I agree with vetanari, genetics+enviroment=trait. People that have the gene passed from their parents (genetic predisposition) would be born with the fetish, or if they are in an enviroment that discourages sneezing, they might acquire the trait. Obviously no one is the same, and some people may be born with it or some people might have acquired it along the years. Personally, I think I was born with it, because in kindergarten I remember I liked the letter books that had "ted is ill" or something along those lines and those letters would be my favorite, and I was scared/turned off by people/cartoons actually sneezing for most of my childhood.

[Guest 2gunruth]

all that i really know about the the issue is that if anyone in my family did have it, i would never ever want to know about it, or consider telling them. this has been such a private part of my life forever..its the only thing that no one in the world knows about me besides myself, as i am usually very outgoing and not very private. i think that it is definitely possible though, but i think that, from what i hear from members of the forum, it is fairly common for fetishists to avoid blessing people, or at least be awkward about it in some way, and i have never coem across that with my family. i would be really interested to hear anyone experience of ever sharing the information with their families, ESPECIALLY with a member who also has the fetish

the more i think about it, the less id ever want to know the real answer with my own family

[gryffin]

I don't think it's genetic, it's just something kids find funny (do you remember "My favourite things" in The Sound of Music?) and this is why cartoons are full of characters with exaggerated sneezes. But I don't think this is the same as being turned on by sneezes.

[wroplinski]

I personally believe that it's possible for fetishes to be hereditary. One of my parents is into two of the same (and rather unusual) things that I'm into. I discovered this, to great shock and awkwardness, long after I'd come to grips with having these fetishes myself. Until then I'd had no earthly idea that anyone else could be into such weird things. (I'm not talking about sneezing, by the way -- as far as I know, I'm unique in the family on that one.)

Since those days, the birth of the Internet has taught me that however wild and wacky you think your preferences are, there's always someone out there who's into wilder and wackier stuff -- not to mention whole user groups of people who share the same traits as you. This has been significantly comforting, quite honestly.

[Sneeze999]

I believe that the fetish is more psychological than genetic, especially since world-renound psychologist Dr. Sigmund Freud believed that all sexual neurosis is located in a persons nasal cavity, i also believe this to be true as many people that i know compare a sneeze to an orgasm and, technically, it is the closest bodily function to an orgasm other than the orgasm itself.

But my brother does seem to have an affinity to sneezing & says that he likes to sneeze so a sneeze fetish being genetic is not totally out of the question.