In reply to
Harzem Peter who wrote:
This is a remarkable yet small example of a phenomenon about which
I have wondered from time to time but for which I have no
answer. Is there another, contemporary, 'western' culture that
is so titillated, and so persistently interested as we are in the
sexual lives of other people, .......
On May 17, 2007, at 3:51 PM, Christopher D. Green wrote:
Which Western culture did you mean, Peter? Your British? My
Canadian, Most other TIPSters' American? Or Maciejewski's German
culture? (I assume he's German, because he did his PhD in
Frankfurt, but the name is, I think, Polish.)
In any case, I think there can be little doubt that Americans are
particularly fascinated with the sex lives of celebrities (not that
citizens of other countries don't have some interest in such
matter, but it seems to be much more heightened in the US). A
recent international survey found that Americans experience a much
higher degree of guilt with respect to extramarital sex than
European cultures. François Mitterand had a mistress of decades
standing, who was known to all and even attended his funeral, with
no visible impact on his political career. American politicians
have been regularly hounded out of campaigns and even out of office
for far less (though not all -- see, e.g., Newt Gingrich and Denis
Hastert). No doubt this derives from the country's puritanical
roots and highly-religious present.
But with Freud, the interest is heightened even further because of
the central role sex played in his theory of psychological
development. We find out Einstein had an affair and we might jsut
shrug. We find out Freud had an affair and we at least toy with
idea that we now have special insight (rightly or wrongly).
Well, Chris, it seems you wish to emphasize the differences within
what I collectively called 'western' culture, whereas I wrote asking
about whether within that collective western culture, "our
culture" (meaning US culture, since I am a US citizen) was the most
titillated by the sex lives of other people. In your answer to that
question, I take it that we are agreed. However, the interest (I
could say 'obsession') is not confined to celebrities. Based on my
impressions in relatively recent travels (within about 5 years or so)
in Britain, Germany, Switzerland, Spain, Italy, Austria, Hungary,
etc., etc. I am quite confident that we (in the US) are exceptionally
taken by such sexual matters as homosexuality, extra-marital affairs,
birth control, and abortion and, indeed, even the sexual escapades of
colleagues and people we know. (I use anecdotal evidence since
this is not a psycho-scientific discussion.)
Assuming that I am right, I then ask 'how and why did this state of
affairs arise?' Of course, if I am wrong the question is mute.
One could first approach such a question with the same observation
you (Chris) made when you asked which western culture? The culture
of the US is not homogenous; there are (in no particular order) the
New England culture, Pacific/California culture, Southern culture,
Latino culture, Black culture, Native-American culture and so on, and
each can be further subdivided. (Pre-)occupation with sexual lives
of others differs, I believe, amongst many of these too.
Lastly, let me explain two points: (1) I talk of the 'sexual issues
of others' because that is quite different from an individual's
consideration of own sexual matters. I suspect with reference to
the latter there would be little cultural difference. (I exclude
from this the culturally acceptable forms of expression of personal
sexual interest in different countries; e.g. Italy and Germany.)
(2) I talk of the US culture because I specifically do not include in
what I say the Canadian and Mexican cultures. If I wrote 'American'
it may be mistaken to mean all of them.
Those who are reading this would be quite justified to think for a
non-expert on sexual behavior, I have said a lot! So, I hasten to end.
Regards,
Peter
Peter Harzem, B.Sc.(Lond.), Ph.D.(Wales)
Hudson Professor Emeritus
Department of Psychology
Auburn University
Auburn, AL 36849-5214
USA
Phone: +334 844-6482
Fax: +334 844-4447
E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Personal E-mail: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
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