Industrial Revolution And Sexuality Essay

756 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Contributions and shortcomings of psychoanalytic theory by sigmund freud

In terms of sex and sexuality, Europeans has been going through a process from public to privacy, from openness to shame, from community control to social control, but later sex was gradually liberated and back to public sphere. The Industrial Revolution in eighteenth Century and the Sexual Revolution in 1960s and 1970s act as watershed in this transformation. People living in pre-industrial era were open to the talk of sex. Living an agrarian life in rural areas, they were familiar to sex presented by human nudity and sex behaviors performed by animals in the farms. Besides, the mention of prostitutions was accepted for that time, thus, there was no necessity to operate educations on sex. Besides, living in country yard, which compared to cities is more like a community, people were tightly interconnected with each other and under the control of the community, having neither privacy or personal freedom for love and marriage. For instance, individual’s marriages at that time were determined by the guilds for the purpose of keeping surviving (Annetle 58). With the development of the Industrial Revolution and the consequent process of urbanization, Europeans gradually moved to cities to be wage labor, and thus for the first time gained privacy of individuality. First, the city life …show more content…

As the root of the revolution, scientific and philosophical theories were came up to demystify sex and sexuality, which is exemplified by Sigmund Freud, who was famous for his psychoanalysis, associating sexuality with human unconsciousness, and regarding children sexuality as the starting point of personality development. Michel Foucault further pointed out that sexuality, together with sexual desires and behavior, contributes to the constitution of people’s individuality and acts as a representation of political power (Stephen

Show More
Related

  • Eros Live in New York

    2904 Words  | 6 Pages

    At the beginning of the 1900s, there was a “sexual revolution” in New York City. During this time, sexual acts and desires were not hidden, but instead they were openl...

    Read More

  • Sexual Autobiography Analysis

    525 Words  | 2 Pages

    To provide a summation, I have learned a great deal about sexuality throughout this class and have utilized some of its teachings in order to help clarify my sexuality. While I have strayed away a bit in this essay about sexuality especially on Freud, I have tried incorporate their teachings into constructing my sexuality identity such as Foucault teaching of sexuality and power and Judith Butler’s sexuality and categories. Freud was just absurd however I will take advantage of these teachings utilized in class in order to constitute a more accurate representation of my sexual

    Read More

  • The Breakthrough of Sexual Morality

    751 Words  | 2 Pages

    Sexuality is often looked down upon by mainstream society. Embedded into culture and tradition, sex itself has been made to be seen as a taboo of sorts. Prostitution was made illegal; pornography was made evil. Rooted deep within the teachings of the most common religious morality systems, sex and sexuality is often paired with punishments. Those who explore their sexuality is often shamed, and labeled with words that can ostracize such persons from society. Kant’s view of sexuality almost destroys his credibility as a philosopher by providing unclear and unreasonable points of sexuality and objectification, yet he remains keen on trying to prove that sex, outside of marriage, is the worst possible sin. However, there are those who believe that expressing sexuality is power, and is exercising autonomy. Many existentialists see sexuality as a means of self-expression, and to not be comfortable with sexuality shows that the person inhabits the morality of the sheep.

    Read More

  • The Introduction to the History of Sexuality by Foucault

    1111 Words  | 3 Pages

    In The Introduction to the History of Sexuality, Foucault explains how during the 19th century with the raise of new societies, the discourse or knowledge about sex was not confronted with repulsion but it “put into operation an entire machinery for producing true discourses concerning sex” (Foucault 69). In fact, this spreading of discourse on sexuality itself gives a clear account of how sexuality has been controlled and confined because it was determined in a certain kind of knowledge that carries power within it. Foucault reflects on the general working hypothesis or “repressive hypothesis,” and how this has exercised power to suppress people’s sexuality. It has power on deciding what is normal or abnormal and ethical or unethical about sexuality. Through discourses of life and sexuality, power is exercised because humans learned how to behave in relation to sexuality, which method keep individuals controlled and regulated. This explains why people experience that sense of behaving inappropriate when we talk about sex in a different way than the whole society. Foucault points up how sexuality is not just treated in terms of morality, but it is a matter of knowledge and “truth.” However, these discourses, including sexual discourses are not true or false, but they are just understood to be the truth or falsehood to control society. As a result, sexuality begins to be explored in a scientific way, developing the “truth” science of sex (Foucault 69). For Foucault, he asserts that sexuality has developed as a form of science that keeps us all afraid of such phenomena, which people think to be true, thus this science helps society to discipline and control individuals’ behaviors.

    Read More

  • Social Order (Foucault and Goffman)

    1450 Words  | 3 Pages

    Foucault, M. (1978). The History of Sexuality, Vol. 1: An Introduction. New York: Vintage Books.

    Read More

  • A History of Sexuality

    1957 Words  | 4 Pages

    Unlike sex, the history of sexuality is dependant upon society and limited by its language in order to be defined and understood.

    Read More

  • Critical Analysis Of An Anthropological Look At Human Sexuality

    1241 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the article “An Anthropological Look at Human Sexuality” the authors, Patrick Gray and Linda Wolfe speak about how societies look at human sexuality. The core concept of anthology is the idea of culture, the systems of attitudes, beliefs, and behaviors people acquire as a member of society. The authors give an in depth analysis on how human sexuality is looked at in all different situations.

    Read More

  • Victorian Perception of Women and Vampires in Bram Stoker's Dracula

    1492 Words  | 3 Pages

    "Sex & Sexuality in the 19th Century." Victoria and Albert Museum, Online Museum, Web Team. N.p., n.d. Web. 03 Jan. 2014.

    Read More

  • Sexual Revolution

    1099 Words  | 3 Pages

    Looking at our past, there have been dramatic changes in the way humans view sex. Long before the 1900s individuals framed their views based on the religious institution. Due to the fact that they strongly centered their idea of sexual thought on religion, they believed that the only purpose of having sex was to procreate. As the 1920’s approached, there were various factors that changed the way individuals viewed sex. The “new women” known, as flappers were women who were confident in who they were. They changed their attire as well as their social attitude. In the 1920s, the flappers redefined sex; customs and traditions were broken and new norms were created by society.

    Read More

  • History Of Sexuality By Michel Foucault

    1834 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the book History of Sexuality: An introduction, Volume 1 by Michel Foucault, he discusses the “repressive hypothesis” which he had developed. Sexual repression was due to the rise of the bourgeois. He suggests that the repressive hypothesis is important for discourse on the revolution of sexuality. Foucault has recognized the repressive hypothesis as a form of discourse. The repressive hypothesis has power to repress the debate of sexuality. Foucault mentions that society has created control over how people talk about sex over time. In the 17th century with the rise of the bourgeoisie, there had been control on the discourse of sex. In the 18th century, sex was studied for the means of regulating the demographic of the population. Sex lives

    Read More

  • Industrial Revolution Essay

    1755 Words  | 4 Pages

    The Industrial Revolution was a period from the 18th to the 19th century where major changes in agriculture, manufacturing, transport, and technology had a profound effect in North America. The industrial revolution marked a major turning point in history because it changed every aspect of life in America and the country as a whole. People started replacing ploughs and other tools for machines that could do twice the work. While others moved to large cities and started working in factories and other businesses. Huge industries such as the textile, steel, and coal industry came out and had a profound effect on the industrial revolution but, they would not have been extremely successful if it was not for railroads. The railroads played a vital role in the development and success of other industries. The railroads triggered the biggest leap in transportation in history. Through technological and entrepreneurial innovations and the creation of steam-powered locomotives, the development of trains as public carriers of passengers and freight, brought forth the railroad. The railroad industry changed the nature of production because it became an important energy source that replaced human and animal power. Due to the important role of the railroads, workers became more productive, items were being shipped more quickly, and resources were becoming available to everyone including the working and middle class and not only the wealthy. The railroads became to be known as one of the biggest leaps of transportation in history. This is because it set up the next fifty years of America’s prosperity. The railroads became extremely popular and useful during the 1800’s to millions of people and other large companies. Although there were many indu...

    Read More

  • Analysis Of Gayle Rubin's Thinking Sex: Discuss

    1227 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gayle Rubin’s “Thinking Sex: Notes for a Radical Theory of the Politics of Sexuality” focused on the history of sexuality and sexual persecution. Gayle Rubin recognizes the idea of sex as a natural force that exists prior to social life and which shapes institutions and society. First, Rubin, emphasizes the idea of negative sex, by showcasing views by other scholars. Rubin notes Foucault in his 1978 publication “The History of Sexuality”, as “sex as the natural libedo wearing to break free of social constraint” (Rubin, 149). This leads Rubin to her understanding of sex negativity. Sex, as Rubin depicts, is dangerous, destructive and a negative force and sex negativity is any negative sexual behaviour other than married or reproductive sex. Many Western religious believe that sex should only be for reproductive reasons and that pleasure and anything outside of martial sex should not be experienced. Third, Rubin goes on to construct the charmed circle, distinguishing good and bad sex. Resulting from sex negativity, Rubin develops an illustration of good and bas sex, better known as the charmed circle. Instances of bad sex include; casual,

    Read More

  • Industrial Revolution Essay

    934 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the late eighteenth century, the Industrial Revolution made its debut in Great Britain and subsequently spread across Europe, North America and the rest of the world. These changes stimulated a major transformation in the way of life, and created a modern society that was no longer rooted in agricultural production but in industrial manufacture. Great Britain was able to emerge as the world’s first industrial nation through a combination of numerous factors such as natural resources, inventions, transport systems, and the population surge. It changed the way people worked and lived, and a revolution was started. As stated by Steven Kreis in Lecture 17, “England proudly proclaimed itself to be the "Workshop of the World," a position that country held until the end of the 19th century when Germany, Japan and United States overtook it.”

    Read More

  • Analysis of The Transformation of Intimacy by Anthony Giddens

    792 Words  | 2 Pages

    ... decades ago. This book is one that will allow the reader to view many aspects of sexuality from a social standpoint, and apply it to certain social attitudes in our society today, these attitudes can range from the acceptance of lesbian and gays, and the common sight of sex before marriage and women equality. The new era of sexuality has taken a definite "transformation" as Giddens puts it, and as a society we are living in the world of change in which we must adapt, by accepting our society as a changing society, and not be naive and think all the rules of sexuality from our parents time our still in existence now.

    Read More

  • Benefits of Sex Education in Schools

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    The sexual revolution occurred in the second half of the twentieth century. It was caused by a variety of reasons such as the weakening of control of adolescent behavior, separation of sexuality from reproduction, and open appearance of different orientation. Furthermore, people ceased to perceive sex as something shameful and immoral. In this regard, there were many problems associated with the ignorance of the majority of people in matters of sexuality; consequently, government decided to impose a duty to explain to pupils basic reproductive processes and precautions on schools. Teaching a class of sex education would have sufficient benefits such as "lower teenage pregnancies, a decline in sexually transmitted diseases, more responsible thinking" (Blanton).

    Read More

More about Industrial Revolution And Sexuality Essay

Open Document