TABOO AND GENETICS 241 



The most potent dysgenic influence in the 

 present phase of the sex problem is the conflict 

 between the interests of the individual and the 

 group regulations. The traditional type of 

 marriage and family life has a cramping effect 

 upon the personal ambitions which lessens its 

 attractiveness materially. The enterprising 

 young business or professional man has no 

 desire to restrict his opportunities by the 

 assumption of the responsibilities that accom- 

 pany family life. He must be free to stake all 

 his resources on some favourable speculation 

 without the thought that he cannot take chances 

 on impoverishing his wife and children. Or 

 if he has professional aspirations, he must be 

 able to take the long difficult pathway of scien- 

 tific research with no anxiety about the meagre 

 salary that is insufflcient for the support of a 

 home. Thus the most vital and aggressive male 

 stocks as well as the most highly intelligent 

 tend to avoid the hampering effects of family 

 life, and their qualities are often lost to the 

 next generation, since even if they marry they 

 will feel that they cannot afford offspring. 



As women enter more and more into the 

 competition for economic and social rewards, 

 this becomes equally applicable in their case. 

 Indeed, it would be strange were there not an 

 even greater tendency to shun the ties of family 

 life on the part of ambitious women than of 



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