Post to Atlantic blog about breast exposure

Link to article dissing overreaction to public breast exposure

My first reaction to the thesis of your article, summarized in the closing statement, "Let's grow up -- they're just breasts" is that you are ignoring a 500-lb gorilla in the room... If they are just breasts, why is there is such a strong reaction to them throughout time?  I would counter, "Let's get real -- regardless of isolated instances such as nude beaches, where the breasts' attractive power is temporarily reduced (as is also the case in doctors' offices), the breasts have enormous power... now let's try to pick apart why this is the case, instead of trying to wishfully downplay their power." American anthropologist and human behavior researcher Dr. Helen Fisher's books are a good step in this direction. The power of breasts isn't going to go away -- but it can be managed. Breasts will always be more than "just breasts." To suppose otherwise only delays a more-effective, better-calibrated social reaction to this reality.