A kiss feels like everything and nothing at the same time.
Paradoxical but fun nonetheless.
Mathematically speaking, kissing is when two objects just touch each other without any overlap. This happens between coloured balls whenever you set up a snooker or pool table. (see osculation)
The Possible Origins of Kissing
Despite the fact that while you're doing it, it seems perfectly natural, kissing is actually a learned behavior. The first documented kissing behavior appears in India and Europe around 2000 BC; faces were brought together, noses and faces rubbing together in a gesture of union. The practitioners of this in India believed that the exhaled breath of their partner was part of their soul. By being close enough to share breath, they were intimately intermingling their souls.
Around 1000 BC, an Indian text was written which contained references to kissing as we know now being used to express affection between lovers. Later, around the 6th century AD, the Kama Sutra documented techniques of lip kissing fully.
The Greeks were probably the first Europeans to take up the practice, and it spread throughout the empire. It survived through the Middle Ages, where the Church decided that kissing "in reverence of God" was okay, but kissing for pleasure was a venal sin and kissing with intent to fornicate was a mortal sin.
So, if It's a Purely Learned Social Construction, Why Do We Dig It So Much?
There are a few theories. The first fits with the assumption that a lot of behavior engaged in while in love is regression to childhood behavior in a subconscious attempt to appear youthful to your mate. Many cultures engage in premastication of food for children; mothers will chew a tough piece of food unto a paste and then place it in their child's mouth in a kiss-like action. In Central Europe, there exists a tradition where a man will place a piece of tobacco between his front teeth, then invite a woman to take it from him by mouth in a symbol of love. The practice can be traced to before the introduction of tobacco in the 17th century, replacing the plug of tobacco with pitch or resin.
The catch with this theory is that premastication is very widespread in human cultures, while kissing is present in few cultures which have not had contact with western culture. What I think is that it's a learned behavior which happens to turn on a bunch of instinctive stuff in our monkey brains. When kissing you are so close you can very carefully smell them, which helps us decide if this person is healthy and expresses the right genes to ensure future familial happiness. Lovers tasting each other's saliva get an even more detailed view of their significant other's health and genotype.
Interesting /msg I just recieved: "(r) rp says re Kiss: perhaps it may interest you to know that my Congolese girlfriend doesn't want to kiss, she thinks it's one of those silly things Mindele do."
Lineup:
somebody help me please
A kiss of vampires.
Similar to:
Gad, I'm just full of avian references today, huh?
In the story of Peter Pan we learn that a kiss is in fact a token given to someone. Wendy gives Peter a thimble, and in return he gives her an acorn button.
"I think it's perfectly sweet of you," she declared, "and I'll get up again," and she sat with him on the side of the bed. She also said she would give him a kiss if he liked, but Peter did not know what she meant, and he held out his hand expectantly. "Surely you know what a kiss is?" she asked, aghast. "I shall know when you give it to me," he replied stiffly, and not to hurt his feelings she gave him a thimble. "Now," said he, "shall I give you a kiss?" and she replied with a slight primness, "If you please." She made herself rather cheap by inclining her face toward him, but he merely dropped an acorn button into her hand, so she slowly returned. Source: Project Gutenberg at www.gutenberg.net
Later, in the movie Hook, staring Robin Williams and Dustin Hoffman, we discover that a traditional kiss, two sets of lips pressed together, causes Peter to forget about Neverland, the Lost Boys and Tink his trusty sidekick. He instead becomes a regular boy and grows up as Peter Panning, not remembering his wild adventures as The Pan.
Kiss (?), v. t. [imp. & p. p. Kissed (?);p. pr. & vb. n. Kissing.] [OE. kissen, cussen, AS. cyssan, fr. coss a kiss; of uncertain origin; akin to D. kus, G. kuss, Icel. koss.]
1.
To salute with the lips, as a mark of affection, reverence, submission, forgiveness, etc.
He . . . kissed her lips with such a clamorous smack, That at the parting all the church echoed. Shak.
2.
To touch gently, as if fondly or caressingly.
When the sweet wind did gently kiss the trees. Shak.
© Webster 1913.
Kiss, v. i.
To make or give salutation with the lips in token of love, respect, etc.; as, kiss and make friends.
To meet; to come in contact; to touch fondly.
Like fire and powder, Which as they kiss consume. Shak.
Rose, rose and clematis, Trail and twine and clasp and kiss. Tennyson.
Kissing comfit, a perfumed sugarplum to sweeten the breath. [Obs or Prov. End.]
Shak.
Kiss, n. [OE. kiss, derived under the influence of the verb from the older form coss, AS. coss. See Kiss, v.]
A salutation with the lips, as a token of affection, respect, etc.; as, a parting kiss; a kiss of reconciliation.
Last with a kiss, she took a long farewell. Dryden.
Dear as remembered kisses after death. Tennyson.
A small piece of confectionery.
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