Have romantic movies exaggerated the importance of kissing or is it really an important way to know if the one we want is our true love?
Be that as it may, the first kiss has always been very important. But why is kissing so special and why do humans do it?
One theory is that it is human nature to touch or kiss the lips.
Under this theory, it is believed that human lips are associated with positive attitudes after drinking mother’s milk.
There is another suggestion, perhaps not so pleasant, that the practice of lip-to-lip kissing arose because in the evolutionary past of humans, mothers chewed food and put it into their babies’ mouths.
This process is called ‘premastication food transfer’ in which the newborn is given food that does not need to be chewed and can be easily digested. This practice can still be seen in monkeys.
Fortunately, this is no longer the case in humans because with the advancement of science we now have soft foods available to give to babies.
Another important reason is that our lips are a very sensitive part of the body. And it is among the few sensitive parts that are not covered by clothes.
An interesting theory has emerged regarding this.
Anthropologist William Jankowiak says, “The more clothes we wear, the more the frequency of kissing increases, while on the other hand, with less clothes, this frequency decreases.”
“One thing that stands out is that even today in these ancient groups and communities where hunting is practiced and people wear scantily clad clothes, we don’t find examples of kissing.”
In all other places in the world where hunter-gatherers are found, they do not wear clothes. That is, they can also use other sensitive parts of the body. But when you put on more clothes, you’re left with a human face for sensory experience.’
And finally another reason is given which is probably related to human evolution.
According to this theory, when humans are close to each other, they can smell each other. However, according to an analysis, less than half of the human population kisses on the lips.
Professor William Jankowiak examined 168 cultures around the world. According to their research, about 46 percent of people kiss lips to lips in a romantic manner. This number does not include parents kissing their children or, as is the case in many societies, kissing when meeting.
Professor William Jankowiak, speaking to the BBC, said, “I think the important thing is that this human need can be fulfilled in many ways other than kissing.”
However, he says, what is interesting is that as social complexity increases, so does the tendency to kiss.
But how did this practice begin?
The earliest written evidence we have of such behavior in history comes from the 3500 year old Hindu Vedic Sanskrit.
Shirl Kirshenbaum, author of ‘The Science of Kissing’, says, ‘Well, there are many cultures that model kissing on the lips, but there is also a male kiss, which Darwin wrote about when women lie on the ground. They would go and men would smell them from above.’
‘Then the Trobriand Islands where I saw the most surprising custom. When I went there for research, I came to know that the custom is that lovers scratch each other’s eyelids. Most of us would find this a very unromantic act, but for them it is a way of showing love.’
Shirl Kirshenbaum says that whatever the method, the intention behind it is to gain each other’s trust so that we can become closer to them.
However, lip-to-lip kissing is limited to humans.
But here the question arises that if kissing is an evolutionary process, why do we not see such practice in animals? A few birds have a custom of fighting beaks, while a few mammals have a custom of sniffing each other to distinguish between friend and foe.
However, there are very few animals that have evidence of lip kissing.
One reason for this may be that humans have a much weaker sense of smell than other animals who can smell each other without being too close.
But humans have to be closer to each other for this and maybe that is why the lip kiss came into being. There is also the question of why this custom is not found in every culture and will this method always remain so?
Shirl Kirshenbaum says that the practice of kissing has declined over time and in different places around the world. She says there are many reasons for this, one of which is disease.
“Humans have known for a long time that it is important to stay away from certain things to avoid disease,” he said. Because according to them it was only their authority.’
“However, despite restrictions, disease, and epidemics, the practice of kissing has returned time and again throughout human history.”