Western people's sex

Author: Philippe Ariès
Publisher:
Publish Date: 2003-03-01
Features: The Sexual Life of Westerners is a serious sociological work with excellent readability. It systematically introduces the gender culture and its general outline of development in the West, from ancient Greece to the mid-to-late 20th century. Since the dawn of civilized society, sexuality has always been in a state of repression. In a vast amount of official and semi-official literature, almost no sexual culture can be found. Even in times with fewer taboos, sexuality was suppressed by morality, tradition, and education. Therefore, throughout the history of civilization, sexuality has almost always been a caged animal, far from virtue. The study of Western sexual culture was originally scarce, but it gradually became scientific and systematic with the Renaissance, especially with the emergence of modern sexology. After Freud, the issue of sexuality gradually moved beyond the realm of popular culture and entered the realm of high culture. Literature, philosophy, aesthetics, and other fields were filled with the presence of pan-sexuality. Freud once asserted that humanity's intense focus on sexuality would at least continue for another hundred years. This focus has shown no signs of weakening to this day, as if it is constantly diffusing and deepening. According to the basic sociological rule that the intensity of focus weakens as people truly gain freedom to satisfy themselves, it seems that humanity's progress in this regard is far from complete.