Tickling is nature or nurture

[cletus-factor]

Applying the biology BIG argument here.

So what do you think, is tickling nature as in we just have it in our genetics or do we learn to like it?

For me, i'd be sure to say that it's nurture. As a kid my grandfather would tickle the crap out of me. I hated it, and is probably why i hate to be tickled to this day. Could even be why simply being touched feels awkward to me. I do not have any early memories of liking tickling. I saw it on the Yogi bear cartoon and the TMNT cartoon, but i never until i was at least 10 thought tickling is cool.

Now with feet on the other hand, i think that it is possible that i was just programmed this way. Looking at my memories and what i liked as i came into my own sexually I have always looked at a girl's face or feet first. And when it comes to thinking about the kitty, i don't know that i like it. (I'm a virgin so i'm sure i'll figure that one out).

 

[nessonite1]

nature. At least with me.

 

[Violetta]

I'd have to say nature. Me and my sister are both adopted, and we were both raised roughly the same way. But I grew up to have a thing for tickling and she didn't.

 

[George Hull]

As a kid my grandfather would tickle the crap out of me. I hated it, and is probably why i hate to be tickled to this day.

So you hate being tickled but you like to tickle others? I'm not judging (just curious) --- would you say that makes tickling a form of sadism for you?

 

[Yet_One_More_Idiot]

Hmm...not sure. I've never been tickled, or tickled others, but I enjoy the idea of both. I think I come down on the side of nurture, but nurturing myself. 🙂
As to feet, I've been fascinated by the female foot for about as long as I can remember, whilst tickling only became a passion for me in my mid teens. So that I would say is nature.

 

[cletus-factor]

So you hate being tickled but you like to tickle others? I'm not judging (just curious) --- would you say that makes tickling a form of sadism for you?

In reply to biggeorge:

Yes i guess so, at least i'm comforted by the fact that odds are i'm not hurting my lee, whereas real sadism is pain = pleasure (still have no idea how pain = pleasure). I'm really sure i'll end up using bondage whenever i get my first tickle in on a girl, but from what i thought it might be when i was say 15, to what i think it would be now, i'd say i'm much less sadistic. I like the power play sure, but i don't know that i'd be the relentless tickler that i thought i would be 9 years ago. And actually at one time (only in my teens) i was fascinated with the idea of a few things, those being quicksand, a noose, tar pits, and a torture rack (though that last one i was more interested in using it to just get the girl stretched out, not painfully you know). I can say that i have only retained my interest in the torture rack but again only for the purposes of liking total bondage in association with tickling. I have been feeling less and less abnormal as time goes on, in fact signed up for a membership with alt.com and now i can say that i'm quite normal compared to 99% of the people on "that" site lol. (at least they're still in the ballpark, now tree huggers and people into beastiality on the other hand........) : P

 

[Cbarton]

Nature...as far as I know, no other ticklers in the family

 

[George Hull]

Re: Cletus' response:

I guess I'm with you on that. I have to admit that the sadistic element of tickling appeals to me. Oddly enough in all other respects I can't stand to see anyone suffer in anyway but when it comes to tickling it turns me on (possibly because I know no matter how much it's driving the victim crazy there's no real harm being done). I've watched very dear friends of mine being tickled within an inch of their lives, knowing they couldn't stand it, and enjoyed it, but if anyone had actually tried to hurt them I'd have been all over them. I've just come to terms with this aspect of my nature. I guess that's why they call it a "kink"! I actually just think I'm less of a hypocrite about it than many.

(General abuse of my attitude may now begin!)

 

[Timewarp]

Neither. Cause it's different.

 

[DarthGrinn]

A lil bit of both for me lol. I grew up tickling and being tickled by my siblings. And I was quite the little bully at school, tickling the heck out of all my school-mates since as far back as I can remember. *shrugs* I don't see the diff really; after all, nurturing is very natural 😛