John Curley


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John Curley argues powerful people like David Petraeus have affairs because they're biologically predisposed to them.(AP image)

John Curley argues adultery is hard wired in strong men

BY Josh Kerns  on November 13, 2012 @ 8:19 am (Updated: 10:24 am - 11/13/12 )

What do Albert Einstein, John F. Kennedy, Dwight D. Eisenhower, Bill Clinton and David Petraeus have in common? They're just some of the brilliant leaders and thinkers also known for their extramarital affairs. KIRO's John Curley argues it's because many are simply hard wired that way.

"If you want to blame them socially, go ahead. But if you want to understand them biologically, you will be able to understand their action," Curley says of the pioneering work of Desmond Morris, the zoologist and psychologist who authored the seminal book "The Naked Ape." In it, Morris posits men (and women) are no different than animals. The strongest of the species are genetically predisposed to unbridled sexual urges and a need to dominate, just like apes.

"I'm just saying, biologically, understand that when you have an alpha male leader, someone like David Petraeus, this stuff will happen. It's happening all the time. If you want to have a society that's cleaned itself of adulteress behaviors, then you probably will not have necessarily alpha people in leadership positions," says Curley, who insists he's not condoning adultery, just trying to bring some understanding to what seems to be an all too common occurrence with powerful people.

But not everyone agrees. In response to a conversation about Petraeus on Seattle's Morning News, listener Penny from Enumclaw writes:

"So we just let behavior fall to the lowest common denominator and be happy with it? I say we hold everyone, especially our leaders, to the highest standards so that they can be an example of behavior to the nation. Anything else is bringing us to the behavioral gutter."

But Curley argues you simply can't discount some men's inherent nature.

"All I can say is, you have to look at biologically who he is, where he is, and is it necessarily a character flaw? You would say that it is deeply, deeply wired in him as a person."

What do you think? Is adultery unavoidable for some men?

Josh Kerns, MyNorthwest.com Reporter
Josh Kerns is co-host of KIRO Radio's Seattle Sounds (Saturday nights 7-8) and a digital content producer for MyNorthwest.com.
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Comments (20)


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  • Golfer66 wrote...
    Why is John Curley on the air??
    November 15, 2012 9:44 pm
    He differentiates stong men from weak? Based on what defintion? What, "strong men" survive and proliferate and the weak become liberal dependents and gay marriage supporters? What a crock. Isn't he just justifying natural selection and survival of the fittest? Males of most species are hard-wired to spread their seed..... Not a complicated issue there John!!!
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  • Realpeople wrote...
    This is what we all need period:
    November 16, 2012 12:12 pm
    Forrest is very right. Our society don't care to educate themselves in God's Word, especially when it comes to Him dealing with the behavior of the human race. And because everyone thinks he/she is right in his/her own eyes, then-he/she fails in judging all situations rightly(according to Jesus' words only). People no matter whom they may be don't want to be held accountable for their actions in their life whether it is good or bad. Only the one's that truly follow God's Son with all his/her heart should find grace and mercy in the time of need. However, "There's room at the Cross for all." God is not a segregationist, racist, or bias, but He's love! KJV Bible, ECCL: 12(13-1
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  • REALLY?!?!? wrote...
    Show Me the Hard-Wired Circuit
    November 17, 2012 2:03 pm
    Until someone actually finds evidence of hard-wired neural circuitry, let's relegate that theory to the convenient excuse arena. Any behavior could be argued to be hard-wired, and evidence offered to support this claim. And even if adultery were to be hard-wired, then by the same logic, multiple other behaviors that are against military rules but yet "hard-wired" must also have been engaged in by Petraeus and his associates, yet he is being called on the carpet for just this category of rules transgression. The reasoning math isn't adding up, as the reasoning is selectively -- and I believe incorrectly -- applied.
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  • Cbrew wrote...
    John Curley is dumb
    November 20, 2012 12:11 pm
    People Aren't animals, everybody loves to lump us in with the Animal Kingdom but we're not the same. We're far superior in intellect to anything on this planet. We have the ability to govern our urges and aren't hardwired to do anything but eat drink sleep and breathe. We have a conscience and everybody chooses the type of person they want to be. A powerful General or a famous person cheating isn't because they are powerful, it's because they are weak willed, Just because they are rich and powerful doesn't mean your average every day person doesn't have the same urges and opportunities. You're excusing behavior because like these men, they believed their position made them something more than they are, just a regular Man... they lost themselves in their own hype, and it's not like anybody else can't do the same thing...
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