Sexual Mores

Social mores, sexual mores. Every person has opinions about sex, and so does every country, every society, every culture. Contemporary american sexual mores seem to be in a perpetual state of contradiction and turmoil.

Every century is different, of course. The nineteenth century, known as the "victorian" period, was a time of extremely conservative sexual values, attitudes, mores, in the western world. Sex was sinful. Sleek curvy piano legs were covered with cloth, as were female bodies, head to toe.

The eighteenth century had relatively promiscuous, and after the excesses of the French revolutionary period society seemed to recoil in horror to a more modest approach to life. A hundred years later world war one had the opposite effect. The great wart ended the Victorian age, along with Victorian prudishness.

The roaring twenties, with the liberation of women's right to look sexy, was a reaction to, a rebellion against, a nightmare.. during the Victorian era sexual mores seem to have been most influenced by the church.

Today, the church remains a strong influence, but enter another powerful player: corporate capitalism and mass marketing.  It seems strange how sharply christian and capitalist values differ, and yet the large number of people who embrace both as gospel.

Today we are torn between two worlds, sexually, the christian, and the capitalist. They advocate opposite approaches to sex. The capitalist approach seems to be prevailing, but the jury is still out. Perhaps world war three will push the world away from sexual exploitation, and back to sexual suppression.

American culture is a confusing quagmire of latter day victorian values, and corporate sexual exploitation and promiscuity.

Perhaps, in another hundred years, people will be making love in public. The only certainty is that the situation will be far different, one way or another, than now.

Please scroll down for the other articles in today's issue of The The Truthless Reconciler! Thanks!