Freud vs. Plato
Two Ideas of Love & Sex in Society
Both Freud and Plato espouse a concept
valuing the roles of love and sex in society. Plato's philosophy taught the Ascent
of Love noting the importance of educating, and mentoring youth in matters
of love, for instance, the paradox in shame and pride associated with one's
sexuality. From this point in the early development of a young person's
sexuality, we could expect to see an acceptance of the beauty of one's own
body, and eventually an understanding of true beauty in relationship, and the
world around them. This could then lead to an understanding, and appreciation
for true beauty in all experiences; and eventually a falling in love with
knowledge, and wisdom.
Freud's position seems to stand on the
suppression of natural, human instinct, or one's drive to further the species.
In Freud's argument we see the human animal led, if not cowed into a socially
accepted
form of behavior that diametrically
opposes ones' natural state of being, that of a sexual being driven to
propagate the species. While both positions are, to me, an obvious flattery of
the human act of sexuality; I feel it's important to recognize the danger in
their underlying suggestion of sexual freedom in ones' youthful, developmental
years. It is certainly true, especially with the freedoms available in today's
society, that an education, or mentoring of an individual's position as a
sexual being is valuable. We must, however, be constantly aware of just how
fragile the individual in question may be to such suggestion.
We may take seriously, the opportunity
to view the opinion of someone who has been on both sides of this argument.
One, who has been inappropriately exposed to their own sexuality at a very
tender age, may have some rare insight to this question of sexual suppression,
or sexual mentoring. I would contend that some such individual, who has
experienced such an act, and come through it, healthier and more well adjusted
then most, by way of the experience and subsequent recovery, may very well have
exquisite insight to offer. Taken at face value, the idea of sexual freedom and
sexual mentoring for the purpose of one's education in matters of love is a
radical, if not compassionate idea. Left to the masses, it becomes a tool to be
abused, a loving concept twisted for ulterior motives.
In the Symposium we read about love as
a technique, a skillful art one is expected to learn. Love between the elder
and the younger teaches the delicate balance between shame and pride. We read
of love's common lower form, and how the pursuit of love's higher form is
enduring, and virtuous leading to moral excellence. In Agathon's speech we read
of love's divinity, how love is inspirational and wills us toward excellence
and goodness. Finally, in Socrates' discourse with Diotima we learn of the
ascent of love:
"The correct way", she said,
"for someone to approach this business is to begin when he's young by
being drawn towards beautiful bodies. At first, if his guide leads him
correctly, he should love just one body and in that relationship produce
beautiful discourses. Next he should realize that the beauty of any one body is
closely related to that of another, and that, if he is to pursue beauty of
form, it's very foolish to regard the beauty of all bodies as one and the same.
Once he's seen this, he'll become a lover of all beautiful bodies, and will
relax his intense passion for just one body, despising this passion and
regarding it as petty. After this, he should regard the beauty of minds as more
valuable" … (Plato, 2000)
Freud discusses the dysfunction of
sexual suppression in his book Sexual Morality and Modern Nervousness. In
these chapters, he argues for the injurious effects of the rising tide of
imposed, sexual morality on society. He points out, rather effectively how
current society is quite literally inundated by those things around us, and his
writing in this area is remarkably transferrable to today's lifestyle, what
with the forms of media and entertainment we are subject to. He shows, by way
of example, the affect this phenomenon has on individuals and the resulting
neurosis. In any case, the lack of education, suppressed urge or desire, and/or
suppression of knowledge inevitably lead to some resulting negative behavior.
Undoubtedly, this is illuminating reading for one who has experienced any of
these behaviors:
"Clearly, education does not look
lightly on the task of suppressing the sensuality of the girl until marriage,
for it employs the most drastic measures. It not only forbids sexual
intercourse and sets a high premium upon the preservation of sexual chastity,
but it also protects the developing young woman from temptation by keeping her
in ignorance of all the facts concerning the part she is ordained to play, and
tolerates in her no love-impulse which cannot lead to marriage. The result is
that when the girl is suddenly allowed by parental authority to fall in love,
she cannot accomplish this mental operation and enters the state of marriage
uncertain of her own feelings", … "When later the retarded
development of the wife becomes rectified, and during the climax of her womanly
life the full power to love awakens in her, her relation to her husband has
been long undermined. As a reward for her previous submission, there remains
for her only the choice between unappeased desire, infidelity, or
neurosis". (Freud, 1938)
I quite willingly accept both positions
as valuable. First the idea that a suppressed sexual desire will undoubtedly
lead to distorted ideas of love and relationship, and ultimately neurotic, if
not deviant sexual behaviors. Second, the notion that it is imperative to
educate an individual, however youthful, of their position as a sexual being,
and the healthy ability we each possess to embrace this part of ourselves; as
well the value in this education to lead us toward wholesome, loving
relationships. Simply put, experience leads me to caution. As a husband and
father of four, ages eleven to twenty, I see value in education. I also see
education, tempered with a healthy dose of reality as essential.
If I may paraphrase a classmate: during
lecture she (nameless) noted that in her opinion it was rather healthy to enjoy
a lifestyle where she entertained multiple partners, in an effort to meet her
need for sexual fulfillment. Her gratification was the ultimate, end all, be
all goal of this endeavor, she was quite happy to live her life thus. On the
surface, one might think she was a well adjusted young woman, healthy enough to
speak her mind, and take a stand on a rather contentious topic. I would
certainly hope that she is prepared for the inevitable consequences that arise
from this lifestyle. Here I would argue for Plato's Ascent of Love. In this
formula, a guarded, healthy education allows for the understanding of love for
one's own body, a sense of absolute respect for one's self. Subsequently we
learn to find love in oneother; from this position we stand to learn love
of humanity in all its forms, and love of the mind (person) as an individual.
This speaks to me of a learned respect and appreciation for ones' self and the
dignity of others in an enduring quest for personal growth and knowledge, if
that doesn't sing of Love in its purest sense, truly, I ask, what does?
- Submitted for your consideration, for
those who know, the purge was done, Long Ago !!!
