Myth, Art, and Penis Size
Ever wonder why Greek statues have disproportionally tiny or enormous penises? Well wonder no more because this week, I’ll answer this question; and its answers — and their ramifications, are sure to surprise you!
Despite the length of the penis rarely being associated with a man’s pleasure or virility — and very few women considering penis length, as a factor associated with their pleasure or attraction, people have been mythologically viewing the length of the penis as being significant since people have been around.
For example, the Ancient Greeks saw penis size as being associated with intelligence. They thought the smaller the man’s penis, the more intelligent he was; and the larger the man’s penis, the dumber he was. In his play, The Clouds (419 to 423 BCE), the Greek playwright Aristophanes (446 to 386 BCE) best summed up the ideal traits of a man as: “a gleaming chest, bright skin, broad shoulders, tiny tongue, strong buttocks, and a little prick.”
This belief in penis size being associated with intelligence, is rooted in the Greek philosopher Plato’s (427 to 347 BCE) ideas about the purpose of life, which he believed was seeking divine knowledge. Plato lists lots of activities we can do to help in our search for divine knowledge — including: critical thinking, learning, and questioning — and he also lists activities that hinder us from seeking divine knowledge — the worst of which is — having sexual relations.
Thus, men who are seeking divine knowledge — are translated in the art form as having, small penises; whereas men not seeking divine knowledge or seeking carnal knowledge, are depicted as having, large penises.
Following the Greeks, many Western cultures adopted — and often expanded — this implicit, mythical theme within their paintings and sculptures; artistically representing men as being (intelligent, moral, pure, loyal, prudent, or having self-control) by giving them small penises, and representing men as being (stupid, animalistic, foolish, lustful, ugly, or lacking restraint) by giving them large penises.
Even today, these ancient, implicit, mythical themes about penis length are significantly affecting us and our culture.
For example, one — of the many false beliefs people have about the length of the penis, is that it can be reliably determined, based upon knowing a man’s race. (There are no valid scientific studies showing a relationship between penis length and race.) People stereotypically believe, Asian men have small penises (and how do people stereotype an Asian man’s intelligence?); Black men have large penises (and how do people stereotype a Black man’s intelligence); and Caucasian men have penis lengths somewhere in between.
This false belief may seem like no big deal and even funny, until one realizes its effects — driven by ancient myth, are prejudicial, implicitly subordinating, and explicitly discriminating.
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Don Lucas is a Professor of Psychology and head of the Psychology Department at Northwest Vista College in San Antonio Texas. He loves psychology, teaching, and research.
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