Are We Just Evolutionarily Lucky?

[AndiFlatland]

This is intended as a serious question, although I'm sure it will inevitably attract some hilarious comments and levity (but that's alright).
For many years I've wondered whether it's more than just coincidence that human beings are equipped with arms and hands which reach just down as far as our sexual organs, and no further. Basically, it's just us and most of the other hominoid primates that are so gifted. I mean, dogs, cats, horses, birds, fish, rodents - virtually all other living creatures - are unable to self-pleasure (although somebody's bound to prove me wrong on that!)
I suppose this question has a kind of inbuilt auto-wrecking device, where some will say 'Well, what else can it have been that led to it? Stop being silly', and leading to the invocation of a deity that wanted us to enjoy our bodies.
Either it was a lucky coincidence of evolution - or it was the one thing that kept us happily on two legs after we stopped running around on all fours!?

[shoota]

Onan was a barbarian...

[Buenchico]

We are not alone:
http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/self-love-animal-kingdom/

. . . and there's a Youtube video for everything these days ;-)

[Mamyalynne]

It's an interesting point but you don't always need arms , often a flipper (other appendages and objects are available) will do.


http://www.iflscience.com/plants-and-animals/self-love-animal-kingdom/

[Old_Geezer]

If our arms were longer it wouldn't have stopped you. Although the genetic cost wouldn't have been worth paying. If they were shorter then as a species we probably wouldn't have developed sufficiently to ask such questions. So it was pretty much inevitable.

[AndiFlatland]

Mamayalynne:
This also then begs the question, was it the pleasure so derived that led to the development of the opposable thumb?

[vulcan42]

I hope we can look forward to a mass debate.

[scorpiojo]

:))))

[melv16]

I think you should have this debate in Norfolk :-)

[rsvp]

Oh mamylynne I did chuckle at this answer (thank goodness you followed it up with a link.)

[Mamyalynne]

Happy to help ;-)

[rsvp]

:-) to Mamylynne

[RobNorth]

This is an ancient debate, like why do dogs lick their d-cks?
Because they can!!

[Mamyalynne]

It is Rob , a variation on a theme as you say - welcome to AB.

[anneasquith]

Nooooooooo. I don't want to see a clip of masturbating animals. :-(

[Mamyalynne]

Don't look Anne, they don't have bras on.

[anneasquith]

:-) I didn't .

[jno]

this is why God invented washing machines, with spin cycles and everything.