There are things we accept as obvious truths that aren’t necessarily backed up by data. A primary example: cousin marriage being taboo. In this episode, data journalist Mona Chalabi looks at the numbers behind our family trees to reveal that cousin marriage is much more common and much less “ick” than you might think. Want to hear more from Mona? Check out her podcast Am I Normal? with Mona Chalabi, from the TED Audio Collective.
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Alex
November 30, 2021 at 10:18 pm
bring the dislike button back, youtube.
Enid Ryns
November 30, 2021 at 10:22 pm
…TED…No.
hachi Mr
November 30, 2021 at 10:23 pm
Why TED likes this speaker?
Dot's Channel
November 30, 2021 at 10:24 pm
People inbreed animals/pets all the time, it’s not a risk if the subjects are healthy, or can produce healthy offspring. With people it’s the same thing, it only became an issue when someone with a deadly rare genetic disorder produced more children.
Sir Surname the First of his Name
November 30, 2021 at 10:37 pm
Inbred animals are less healthy and die sooner than outbred animals too though
Dot's Channel
November 30, 2021 at 11:42 pm
@Sir Surname the First of his Name Yeah of course, it improves the quality of their health for sure. Speaking in terms of genetic disorders tho.
jesuswasahovercraft
November 30, 2021 at 10:32 pm
If you knew my cousin you wouldn’t ask that question.
0 0
November 30, 2021 at 10:33 pm
The morality queen! She’s annoying
Arjun P.
November 30, 2021 at 10:34 pm
She is a Muslim. Obviously she is going to justify it.
Carla C
November 30, 2021 at 10:58 pm
Charles II of Spain has entered the chat.
Michał Ilnicki
November 30, 2021 at 11:01 pm
1.7% increase is still quite a bit if we are talking about “serious birth defects”. Not to mention that a smaller gene pool will stack up random mutations (including defects) much faster with each successive generation, because the hypothetical grandchildren will simply lack the “backups” they would need to prevent a usually recessive mutation, therefore marrying your cousins is bad. Heck, ill go even a step further and saying that its best to procreate with someone thats as far away from your gene pool as possible, but thats just genetically speaking.
Alex Robinson
November 30, 2021 at 11:07 pm
yuck
Augustin Fabre
November 30, 2021 at 11:15 pm
Well there is a big difference between a first cousin you grow up with and a 5th cousin you realise is your cousin after looking at a genealogic tree. Just as I find inapropriate to marry your step brother / sister even if you share 0% dna shared
XyLy Potato Head
December 1, 2021 at 12:22 am
5th cousins can be considered unrelated because they only share one pair of great great great great great parents and the same amount of DNA as unrelated people
Jeovana N
November 30, 2021 at 11:18 pm
It is weird yes
Sweet Epiphany
November 30, 2021 at 11:39 pm
In the grand scheme of things, we’re all distantly related.
I think if you’re far off cousins and it’s part of your culture, it’s fine if you’re happy.
As far as having children though, probably wise not to for the sake of good genetics.
XyLy Potato Head
December 1, 2021 at 12:21 am
Cousins of 3rd degree can be considered non related because they only share one pair of great great great parents and the same amount of DNA as non related people do. But inbreeding for a lot of generations with closer relatives is dangerous in the long run if it happens once it’s not that big of a deal. 3rd cousins are always fine tho because they can be considered unrelated
E H
November 30, 2021 at 11:42 pm
Obviously from a culture that allows and encourages it. I have lots of Indian friends who have had arranged marriages to their 1st cousins. At least one child in each family has defects. It’s illegal in the west for obvious reasons!!
English IELTS
November 30, 2021 at 11:44 pm
❤️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️✌️
Tom Robertson
December 1, 2021 at 12:07 am
Assuming my ancestors were honest, no cousin marriages after 1750 .
Before that my genetics is unknown
Joshua Willis
December 1, 2021 at 12:07 am
It depends on your inherent genetic diversity. If you have rich genetics then go ahead and marry whoever, but if your lineage has intermarried for too long then you might need to refresh it. It’s nature’s mechanism against racism. It’s not just that cousin marriage was common back in the day, but that we all share a common ancestor. All life stems from one life.
gasdive
December 1, 2021 at 12:42 am
You have 2^5 great great great grandparents. I don’t know the names of even one of them, let alone my potential spouse’s. That requires knowing 64 people well enough to separate people with similar names, and not be confused by nicknames, or changed names, who all lived 2-3 hundred years ago.
NM tmblwd
December 1, 2021 at 12:46 am
I understand why they did this back in the day but it isn’t necessary now. What I don’t agree with is the Government dictating whether or not you can do it.
Google Nutzer
December 1, 2021 at 12:48 am
LIKE/DISLIKE Service Comment:
Google Nutzer
December 1, 2021 at 12:48 am
Like
Google Nutzer
December 1, 2021 at 12:48 am
Dislike
dimebagmetott666
December 1, 2021 at 12:55 am
DISLIKE
Dokta Whawee
December 1, 2021 at 1:04 am
Use me as the dislike button
Igwe Ogba
December 1, 2021 at 1:07 am
I am not marrying my cousin
Mohammed Shafiqul Islam
December 1, 2021 at 7:06 am
I think cousin marriage is kind of odd but ok.
But, if it continue like royal families,
It hinders the health of future generation
lesil1000
December 1, 2021 at 7:40 am
People keep commenting about birth defects as if genetic counseling, adoption, and not having kids aren’t options.
Matt Baamonde
December 1, 2021 at 8:42 am
This is what’s important. This is the pressing issue of our time. Thanks Ted.
Marion
December 1, 2021 at 9:16 am
I love this series of videos. Also appreciate that all the sources are provided.
Felix L
December 1, 2021 at 9:35 am
Sweet Home Alabama!
fleipeg
December 1, 2021 at 10:14 am
Are there regions of the world where cousin marriage is more prevalent?
JPrince 1277
December 1, 2021 at 10:59 am
This video is kinda sus… Is there something I’m missing?
Karolis Bilčius
December 1, 2021 at 11:14 am
Long gone the days where you would come to a video, check it’s dislikes and leave.
The Ruined Drone
December 1, 2021 at 11:21 am
reading the comments to this is fun. One issue i have is that the study in to increase of genetic birth defects did not take into account the history of marrying cousins. Most people raise cases like “Hapsburg” jaw. but what they miss is that this is the result of many generations of cousins mixing. Indeed the increase in birth defects in cases were it is a one of pairing of cousins in a family there is no significant increase. However in the case of someone who has married a cousin there is a statistically significant higher probability that there will be more cases in there family history.
It’s simply a case of genetic diversity, and it happening once in every 3 or 4 generations in a single family is not going to have a significant impact on heath.
It should also be noted that the risk of a child being born with genetic birth “defects” is actually higher for a women over 40 than it is for married cousins. So if we are to condemn or stigmatise people marrying their cousins because of birth defect then we should also be doing the same to any women /couple who decided to have kids in there 40’s
Daniela Martinez
December 1, 2021 at 11:50 am
So, why are we all assuming that all these people want to have children at all if they do marry?
David Thomson Taylor
December 1, 2021 at 11:55 am
I wonder if she likes one of her cousins
kagaminek
December 1, 2021 at 1:22 pm
Probably lol
Наталья
December 1, 2021 at 12:35 pm
Yes, I disliked the video. These marriages increase the risk up to 50% – that’s quite a high relative risk. The presentation looked weird.
Akhilesh Ap
December 1, 2021 at 12:49 pm
If you’re arguing in favour of inbreeding, you are assuming science to be a hoax.
Inbreeding leads to higher probability of genetic disorders, and if you let this compound over generations, it turns into a nightmare pretty quickly.
Atleast, I’m glad that the stigma is steering people away from inbreeding.
Tally Elhyani
December 1, 2021 at 1:08 pm
Nothing to with fashion but with health.
Happy Virus
December 1, 2021 at 1:54 pm
Just asking: If and only if you would like to have a partner, then would you have one, but in this very situation that you are talking about, as in cousin marriage? Idk, like . . . give it a try bcoz you said that risk is minimal.
Kevin
December 1, 2021 at 2:14 pm
What is it in the background ? 🎶 Sweet Home Alabama ? 🎵🎶
Logan Fairbairn
December 1, 2021 at 2:46 pm
Wish I could see the dislike ratio lol.
Sam Smith
December 1, 2021 at 3:03 pm
Also, since when doest stuff about childbirth interfere with the right to marry? People get married without having children all the time. If it’s about birth defects then having a child with your first cousin should be illegal, not marrying them.
Antonius Nies - Komponist, Pianist & Organist
December 1, 2021 at 3:19 pm
Pushing cousin marriage means to push filter bubbles and other social inequalities. I don’t mind legalizing it in America, but I’m still glad it’s not normalized. Please just don’t choose your people based on their genes.
Nowhere
December 1, 2021 at 5:08 pm
Sounds like someone is in love with her cousin.
Bernardo Sulzbach
December 1, 2021 at 5:49 pm
What a load of bullshit. The risk increase is proportionally immense.
Fendula Ratsq
December 1, 2021 at 7:00 pm
Share this video with your families.
TheAleatoriorandom
December 1, 2021 at 7:57 pm
I don’t think the genetic issue is as minor as it’s made to be. Specially if other adverse conditions “stack” or with repeated inbreeding. Still, I don’t think it should be illegal.
First because you can marry and not have kids or adopt.
Second because even if you do have them (I would say that’s irresponsible) we don’t apply that standard to others cases. Imagine telling people with various genetic diseases that they are prohibited by law to have kids.
Legality and morality/responsability are different if connected topics. I don’t think it should be illegal but it’s certainly questionable whe it comes to having kids wich most married people want. Not having them or adopting would be fine. Socially awkward for sure, but harms no one.
WeBeGood
December 2, 2021 at 12:31 am
02:15 LOL, worst case scenario is marrying your cousin yield a 93% increase in serious birth defects. Almost doubling your chances of a seriously deformed child. She just made the case for keeping the taboo.
Statistics are wonderful. It’s all in how you present the results.
seattlegrrlie
December 2, 2021 at 5:59 am
America and “freedom”
makes laws about who you can’t marry
Time to Believe
December 2, 2021 at 6:26 am
TeD went from breaking technology to marrying you cousin fast .. 🤔
M W
December 2, 2021 at 2:32 pm
Yes, you’re a weirdo if you do. I dont care if they did it in the past or now, or if they do it anywhere on the planet, there are plenty of fish in the sea. Dont do it, weirdo. They did it in the past because they were incredibly stupid. And look what it produced….freaky insane victorian kings and queens for example. Also 6 foot infants with oversized heads.
Ramon Quiroz
December 2, 2021 at 3:16 pm
Lol
Trkologia
December 3, 2021 at 12:14 am
Its a made up thing to slow down population increase in immigrants.
R00siable
December 4, 2021 at 11:37 am
The time will come when everything will be allowed.
CHILL AND UNWIND
December 4, 2021 at 11:48 pm
Yeah it’s a no for me.
Amanda Gomez
December 5, 2021 at 7:13 pm
girl noooooooooooooooo