Agonistic approaches to sexuality: A critical analysis of the conservative mindset
Why do so many people attack sexualities they do not desire and which do not harm them independently of their negative emotions? This is a question to conservative audiences whose anxious reactions this study aims to explain. I introduce seven principles to clarify the situation. The Foundational Pr...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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Elsevier
2023-02-01
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| Series: | Heliyon |
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023006175 |
| _version_ | 1811161762879242240 |
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| author | Timo Airaksinen |
| author_facet | Timo Airaksinen |
| author_sort | Timo Airaksinen |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Why do so many people attack sexualities they do not desire and which do not harm them independently of their negative emotions? This is a question to conservative audiences whose anxious reactions this study aims to explain. I introduce seven principles to clarify the situation. The Foundational Principle sketches the basic normative rules. The Hyperbolic Principle recognizes the ever-present exaggeration of sex narratives. According to the Imaginary Principle, extreme imaginings will become too painful to bear. The Principle of de se Reading of Sexual Thought explains contagious emotions and vicarious arousal. The Principle of Motivation argues that sexual images are intrinsically arousing and thus prima facie motivating. According to the Principle of Safety, an unacceptable sexual desire feels unsafe and risky. The Exclusionary Principle says, if a person fails to recognize a given sexual desire, she rejects it. This is the principle that characterizes a conservative reaction to unaccepted sexuality. These negative socio-psychological facts have not attracted adequate attention in sexuality studies. Yet, anxious conservative audiences have the political power to jeopardize liberal policy formation, sex education, and LGBT/BDSM lifestyles. The method of this study is conceptual and philosophical. Its premises and result should lead to empirical verification. At the same time, I suggest a more sophisticated conceptual and linguistic framework for advancing the critical discussion of moral tradition, scientific sexuality studies, and diagnostic art. |
| first_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:19:23Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-4c4150f9623f458aaeff35588d42f5f0 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2405-8440 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-04-10T06:19:23Z |
| publishDate | 2023-02-01 |
| publisher | Elsevier |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Heliyon |
| spelling | doaj.art-4c4150f9623f458aaeff35588d42f5f02023-03-02T05:01:26ZengElsevierHeliyon2405-84402023-02-0192e13410Agonistic approaches to sexuality: A critical analysis of the conservative mindsetTimo Airaksinen0Department of Practical Philosophy, Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, FinlandWhy do so many people attack sexualities they do not desire and which do not harm them independently of their negative emotions? This is a question to conservative audiences whose anxious reactions this study aims to explain. I introduce seven principles to clarify the situation. The Foundational Principle sketches the basic normative rules. The Hyperbolic Principle recognizes the ever-present exaggeration of sex narratives. According to the Imaginary Principle, extreme imaginings will become too painful to bear. The Principle of de se Reading of Sexual Thought explains contagious emotions and vicarious arousal. The Principle of Motivation argues that sexual images are intrinsically arousing and thus prima facie motivating. According to the Principle of Safety, an unacceptable sexual desire feels unsafe and risky. The Exclusionary Principle says, if a person fails to recognize a given sexual desire, she rejects it. This is the principle that characterizes a conservative reaction to unaccepted sexuality. These negative socio-psychological facts have not attracted adequate attention in sexuality studies. Yet, anxious conservative audiences have the political power to jeopardize liberal policy formation, sex education, and LGBT/BDSM lifestyles. The method of this study is conceptual and philosophical. Its premises and result should lead to empirical verification. At the same time, I suggest a more sophisticated conceptual and linguistic framework for advancing the critical discussion of moral tradition, scientific sexuality studies, and diagnostic art.http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023006175ConservatismLiberalismDeviant sexualityFear of sexualityImaginationArousal de se |
| spellingShingle | Timo Airaksinen Agonistic approaches to sexuality: A critical analysis of the conservative mindset Heliyon Conservatism Liberalism Deviant sexuality Fear of sexuality Imagination Arousal de se |
| title | Agonistic approaches to sexuality: A critical analysis of the conservative mindset |
| title_full | Agonistic approaches to sexuality: A critical analysis of the conservative mindset |
| title_fullStr | Agonistic approaches to sexuality: A critical analysis of the conservative mindset |
| title_full_unstemmed | Agonistic approaches to sexuality: A critical analysis of the conservative mindset |
| title_short | Agonistic approaches to sexuality: A critical analysis of the conservative mindset |
| title_sort | agonistic approaches to sexuality a critical analysis of the conservative mindset |
| topic | Conservatism Liberalism Deviant sexuality Fear of sexuality Imagination Arousal de se |
| url | http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2405844023006175 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT timoairaksinen agonisticapproachestosexualityacriticalanalysisoftheconservativemindset |