From: masuda@fcs280b.ncifcrf.gov (Michiaki Masuda)
Subject: Pheromone and Roman Hikou -- Would you grow up a little, please? 
Organization: Frederick Cancer Research and Development Center
Date: Thu, 31 Dec 1992 22:04:42 GMT

   First, there is no proved evidence that a certain chemical or 
biological substance acts as "pheromone" in human to attract everyone of the
opposite sex.

   Secondly, it is very likely that during the process of evolution of human 
being, pheromone lost its function as sexual message and that the molecule 
which used to act as human pheromone may be no longer produced in modern 
human. It is also reasonable to assume that the connection between receptor
of the pheromone and a sexual sensation has been lost. In other words, if 
someone succeeds to identify pheromone of prototype human, he/she may not
be able to lure women/men with it.

   Thirdly, the level of a body odor seems to be determined by the number
of "apocrine" sweat gland. Even though some hormones regulate the sweating
and could control the body odor, relating the level of testosterone and
that of "male human" pheromone which doesn't seem to exist would be rather
ilogical. In addition, as far as I know, there is no significant 
race-specific difference in the level of testosterone.

   Ok. So long for science, and I'll go into some sociological issues which
I am rather naive about.

   First, discussing how the difference in the level of male pheromone
deteremines the success of failure in luring women is a typically sexist
attitude. Would you guys be attracted by a certain woman only by her
body odor? As you count other factors (e.g., personality, intelligence,
religious belief, etc.), so does most women. You might not want to talk
as if you were assuming that women are animals of a lower class controled
only by basic instincts. 

   Secondly, arguing that Japanese men are less attractive to women because
they lack pheromone is a typically racist attitude. There are many Japanese
women who are attracted by Japanese men and even more so than by non-Japanese
men. I also believe that there are non-Japanese women who could be attracted
by Japanese men rather than non-Japanese men. 

   Thirdly, Japanese female "yellow cabs", the presence of which I also 
have heard of, are not an expression of inferiority of Japanese men.
Even if they are doing what they are doing being attracted by the high
level of "pheromone" of non-Japanese men, do you think many Japanese
men would try to increase their pheromone just to make the "yellow
cabs" come back to Japan or to prevent potential "yellow cabs" from
leaving Japan? I personally don't mind what those girls do or why,
but if someone unreasonably tries to extract the inferiority of
Japanese men out of it, I would take it personal.

   (The folloing part of the post is specially dedicated to James, my dear.)

   Finally, James, although I thought that your "Roman Hikou" was enjoyable 
in the sense that it described one aspect of Japanese culture relatively well,
I am not sure if it was appropriate for s.c.j. Your description of Japanese
women might have given a wrong impression that they are all materialists
(Oh well, they may be now even though there were still good chances for me
to meet non-materialistic girls in Japan three years ago. I'll see it in
January). Since you call yourself BSer, you might be realizing what you
are posting. However, posting a BS knowingly may not be always interpreted
as an expression of a good sense of humor.

  I know how interesting and exciting "Roman Hikou" is. However, my 
"hikou" doesn't mean "flight." You know what I mean, don't you?

--Michiaki, the "Man-nen 'hikou' shounen"