Bigger Dicks, Bigger Guns? Signaling Mate Value in the Modern World
Modern mate signaling is messy. From overcompensation to meticulously curated online personas, we’re all just trying to prove our worth in the most convoluted ways.
I just realized that everything we do revolves around signaling mate value.
Don’t be fooled into thinking you actually enjoy lathering yourself with poop-colored mousse to give the illusion of sunbaked skin (read: fake tan) — you do it because you want to look better, to signal that you’re healthy, and rich enough to afford holidays in the sun.
But it’s not a female-only thing. Despite this common rhetoric, evolutionary psychology consistently shows that peacocking is an inescapable part of being human.
A recent study published in the American Journal of Men’s Health looked at the correlation between penis size and gun ownership in America. The researchers were surprised to see an inverse correlation between the two: men who are happier with their penis size and function are more likely to own guns. The study starts by hypothesizing that men with smaller penises, or those experiencing erectile dysfunction, try to compensate by owning lots of big guns.
