What does mating mean?

So I have been doing this paper on evolution, culture and teh mind and this paper has actually got me thinking! One particular topic that has got me going around in circles is that of human mating. From a historical perspective human mating provides for some very interesting reading and the evolutionary perspective seems fairly logical, however what is mating all about today?

How I see it is, evolution is something that happens slowly over a long period of time, for example we were originally on all fours life our furry friends and now we are upright and getting more upright as the centuries go on. And what about culture? does it take centuries for culture to change too? Or is it a much quicker process? Since the 1970's life has dramatically changed for women in the Western World. As a result the dynamics of the Western world has changed. Women no longer need to stay at home and raise children, women have more rights than they usesd to, contraception has given women control over their fertility, women go to University (in-fact I think more so than men), women have careers now, they are CEOs, Prime Ministers, professional athletes. So have women's priorities changed? As a result some women are choosing to have fewer kids later on in life or some women are choosing to have none at all

So what kind of relationships are women wanting with men now? Is it the traditional theory for Women who seek a man who is rich and powerful who will look after their children? Why do they need this kind of man when they can actually be rich and powerful themselves? If a Woman really wanted to she could have a child via artificial insemination, give birth to the vhild via c-section, give it powdered milk and hand it over to a maternity nurse, nanny or childcare centre. In fact childcare centres are in such demand that in some cases you have to put your child on a waiting list as soon as they are conceived! So is the argument that Women need Men to support and provide for them and their offspring being made redundant now? Where does evolution fit in here? It is common knowledge that the Western world are not breeding as fast as they used to. Today the modern day nuclear family consists of Mun, Dad and two kids, in our parents day two kids were the minimum, my Father comes from a family of seven kids and my Mother four!

So what is happening with how we go about mating now then? Yes we ted to behave in particular ways that are a result or our evolutionary history. Evolutionary theories of human mating have emphasised the huge reproductive benefits to men of short term mating. But now it appears that men are not the only participants of shor term mating as it does take two to tango!

So what are the benefits to women to engage in short term mating? there must be adaptive benefits associated with casual sex for women? Perhaps it's about not putting all your eggs in one basket, searching for a man with the right genes?, social status? added protection of not just one man but many? Or is it about the hunt? Dunbar talks about hunting and how for a male it is all about the challenge; the ability to out smart nature. Women can have everything now, so why wouldn't they be up for a challenge? Are we seeing a possible role reversal? A new word has just recently been coined for Women who hunt out young studs to have their wicked way with, The Cougar! This word is a metaphor to describe Women wo are on the prowl, hunting for fresh young meat, and these Women essentially behave like Men have done for centuries in order to spread their seed. These Cougar hunt for their mates and their mates are choosing THEM because they are successful and powerful. This is just mirroring men who hunt for Women and profice her with damonds and lace in exchange for her un-celluited buttocks and dim bulb adoration.

So I am left with a few questions here, has there been a role reversal between Men and Women and what their roles are in nature and evolution? and what is more in control Evolution or Culture?