Sex in civilization Book

1929 was the first time that such a study as Sex in Civilization had ever been ventured. A century, or so, ago the very nature of sex attitudes would have thwarted such a project. In fact, it would never have been conceived. Of course, the sexual situation in those days had not yet developed into its later, and increasingly crucial forms. The first intellectual revolt against this old attitude is to be found in the work of Freud and his followers, who, some think, rediscovered sex. Just as the revolt against civilization has taken on numerous forms, each more complex than the other with advancing change, the revolt against old sex attitudes has followed the same evolution. Revolt has become characteristic of our age. The intellectuals are in revolt against an entire civilization. The revolt against the old sex attitudes, with their silences and stupidities, is a vital part of this entire revolt against a decaying culture. The beginnings that were made by ! the early Freudians have today been furthered by a revolt that is far more comprehensive and inclusive. In this volume the authors have tried to give expression to every angle of this revolt and revaluation. In no instance have they attempted to exclude either an individual or a school because of set design or dogma. Calverton and Schmalhausen have purposely encouraged conflicting opinions, for in a field still so mischievously relative, it is only this attitude which can succeed in being progressive and revolutionary. In doing this the authors have striven to show that Sex in Civilization is a problem in social change as well as individual conflict, and that any effort to deny iether factor is intellectually confusing and ultimately suicidal. Sex is a living fire that nothing will extinguish. To understand what sex means, even if we can define ourselves to the human species, and even if we merely have in thought the significance of sex for civilization and ourselves, we must inevitably take a wide view. Perhaps it would be safest not to assume that "civilization" has any precise meaning at all. It simply refers to the stage of society in which the readers of the present volume live. We shall then know where we are.