Murry S. Davis Obscene Ideology: Book Review

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Murry S. Davis’ SMUT: Erotic Reality/Obscene Ideology (1983), in whole, outlines the ideas and thoughts of the erotic realm. He discusses the phenomenology of the ways consciousness “slides” from everyday reality into erotic reality. Davis also elucidates the ideas about sex and the smut structure through normal, and perverted sex. Lastly, he analyzes the ideologies behind the sexual worldviews through the Jehovanist, Gnostic and Naturalist views. Within this paper will be a critical assessment of what Davis proposes in his book. Within Part I, Davis attempts to produce a value neutral description of human sexuality while offering a “universal mode of sex”. Within the books entirety Davis’ uses pornography as his main evidence for …show more content…

Within the slide to the erotic there is the prelude, the first movement, the second movement, the third movement, the finale and the postlude. The prelude discusses the entrance to the shift into the erotic, certain factors tend to keep reminding one of the troubles of everyday reality such as daytime, work, and neutral personalities, whereas other factors allow one to see erotic reality much more clearly like nighttime, bedrooms, and sexy personality types (Davis, 1983). Davis also discusses the use of drugs, alcohol, and gambling’s abilities to help or hinder the slide into the erotic. Within the first movement, it discusses the embodiment of the 2 people together. This embodiment that Davis (1983) discusses may happen easily or not. Seduction techniques may allow the individual to feel more sexual inclined towards their partner, these techniques are either verbally, visually, or tactilely (Davis, 1983). The seduction techniques allow one to become aroused, leading into the second movement of the slide into the erotic. Within the second movement, Davis (1983) declares that the move of identity switches from general, to partial, to specific embodiment. In the second movement there is the visual phase, and the tactile phase. The visual phase discusses the ideas about seeing your partner clothed, partially naked and naked (Davis, 1983). Davis allows us to understand that the idea of clothing is very hindering to the slide into the erotic, however the use of specific “sexy clothing” may be helpful. Presented is the idea of nudity and how it can make the shift from everyday to erotic reality much easier. Tactilely, you can be transferred from erotic reality to everyday reality faster then visually, using embracing or caressing techniques can be beneficial

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