From the Book of Life:
We are repeatedly given messages that we live in sexually enlightened times, that we belong to a liberated age. And therefore the implication is that we ought by now to be finding sex a straightforward and untroubling matter. We are not – after all – Victorians or prudes.
The standard narrative of our release from past inhibitions goes something like this: for thousands of years across the globe, due to a devilish combination of religious bigotry and pedantic social custom, people were afflicted by a gratuitous sense of confusion and guilt around sex. They thought their hands would fall off if they masturbated. They believed they might be burned in a vat of oil because they had ogled someone’s ankle. They had no clue about erections or clitorises. They were ridiculous.
Then, sometime between the First World War and the launch of Sputnik 1, things changed for the better. Finally, people started wearing bikinis, admitted to masturbating, grew able to mention cunnilingus in social contexts, started to watch porn films and became deeply comfortable with a topic which had, almost unaccountably, been the source of needless neurotic frustration for most of human history. It seemed almost inconceivable how hung up our ancestors had been. Sex came to be perceived as a useful, refreshing and physically reviving pastime, a little like tennis and one that could sit perfectly well within the context of bourgeois family life, once the kids were in bed.
This narrative of enlightenment and progress, however flattering it may be to the modern age, conveniently skirts an unbudging fact: we remain hugely conflicted, embarrassed, ashamed and odd about sex.
Most Popular Posts in 2016
29 Pieces Of Erotic Art That Prove People Have Always Loved Sex
Image: A jade erotic art piece made during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). China. Sexuality has been a part of the human experience since our inception as a species. Since the beginning of civilization, humans [...]
Message from Amanda!
I've been redesigning this website, installing a beautiful new WordPress theme. The site is much wider for those of you with larger monitors while also being fluid and responsive so its also great on all [...]
The 45 most seductive women of all time
From the article at buro24/7.com.au: "What makes a woman seductive? If you ask Leonardo da Vinci, it's the mysterious, beguiling smile of a certain Mona Lisa. For Botticelli, it was tendrils of golden locks swirling [...]
Penis size interacts with body shape and height to influence male attractiveness
Before clothing, the nonretractable human penis would have been conspicuous to potential mates. This observation has generated suggestions that human penis size partly evolved because of female choice. Australian researchers have found that penis size [...]
From article: Forget romance. Some women just want sex
From the article by Vanessa de Largie at The Courier Mail We’ve known for a while now that clean-cut Richie Strahan is Australia’s newest Bachelor, and it has just been announced that TV news anchor Georgia [...]
A rising trend – Females assert themselves in sex-selfies
The word ‘selfie’ was coined in Australia. The first use of the word selfie in any paper or electronic medium appeared in an Australian internet forum on 13 September 2002 in Karl Kruszelnicki's 'Dr Karl [...]
Why Females are Selective… In the Vagina
We seldom think of ourselves as “purely biological” organisms, but it’s a good exercise sometimes. If we take our conceptions of love, sexuality, and self-actualization out of the picture, we occasionally stumble upon some really [...]
The new world of porn is revealing eternal truths about men and women…
Porn’s new pervasiveness and influence on the culture at large haven’t necessarily introduced anything new into our sexual repertoire: humans, after all, have been having sex—weird, debased, and otherwise—for quite a while. But pervasive hard-core [...]
Mirror, mirror on the wall: A brief look at katoptronophilia!
From the article by Dr Mark Griffiths: “Theories suggest that katoptronophilia is fed from a basal narcissistic instinct. It is a combination of narcissism and degradation and a feeling of over powering dominance. It’s like [...]
Recent Comments
‘This blog is all about quality.. So refreshing and interesting. You have a superb web presence.’‘Just wanted to say that you have a wonderful blog. Love all the pictures. I also love the pictures of you… Love your camera work also. Thanks, keep up the good work. I love to visit often. Have a great day and a wonderful night.’
‘…just wanted to let you know your blog is amazing! Well done!’
‘…congratulations —your photographs are stunning in composition, lighting, and of course, subject matter. Your posts are always a highlight.’
‘As always, your posts project amazing beauty! Thanks!’
‘Greetings! Your blog is a work of art…’
‘…photo selections that are by turns elegant, intriguing, sensual, erotic, and plain hot. Plus continuing to show that not all selfies are created equal, even in this universally photographic age.’
Quote of the Day
Quote of the Day – February 4 2021
“The behavior of a human being in sexual matters is often a prototype for the whole of his other modes of reaction in life.” Sigmund Freud, Sexuality and the Psychology of Love [...]
Quote of the Day – February 3 2021
“In this land some of us fuck more than we die but most of us die better than we fuck” Charles Bukowski, Love Is a Dog from Hell An evolutionary arms race? Biology fascinates me [...]
Quote of the Day – February 2 2021
Whether he is an artist or not, the photographer is a joyous sensualist, for the simple reason that the eye traffics in feelings, not in thoughts. Walker Evans Quotes for Lovers who talk [...]
Quote of the Day – February 1 2021
"Blake said that the body was the soul’s prison unless the five senses are fully developed and open. He considered the senses the ‘windows of the soul.’ When sex involves all the senses intensely, it [...]
Quote of the Day – January 31 2021
“Of all sexual aberrations, perhaps the most peculiar is chastity.” Rimy de Gourmont Thoughts for Lovers! History of Erotica
Quote of the Day – September 11 2019
“The living model, the naked body of a woman, is the privileged seat of feeling, but also of questioning… The model must mark you, awaken in you an emotion which you seek in turn to [...]
Recent Posts
Sharing the viewfinder
"The “gaze” is a term that describes how viewers engage with visual media. Originating in film theory and criticism in the 1970s, the gaze refers to how we look at visual representations. These include advertisements, [...]
Werner Herzog – Lo And Behold: Reveries of the Connected World – Official Trailer
Legendary master filmmaker Werner Herzog (Grizzly Man, Cave of Forgotten Dreams) examines the past, present and constantly evolving future of the Internet in Lo and Behold: Reveries of the [...]
18 Photos Of Celebrities Before And After Photoshop
Celebrities already have an arsenal of image improvement tricks, like make-up, the best personal trainers, plastic surgery, and the list goes on. That list also includes tweaks and touch-ups using Photoshop software. Read more [...]
The 45 most seductive women of all time
From the article at buro24/7.com.au: "What makes a woman seductive? If you ask Leonardo da Vinci, it's the mysterious, beguiling smile of a certain Mona Lisa. For Botticelli, it was tendrils of golden locks swirling [...]
The great art cover-up: Renaissance nudity still has power to shock
From the article by Jonathon Jones in The Guardian: Sistine Chapel buttocks are veiled, while Leonardo’s Leda was so saucy she was destroyed. But prudish censorship only confirms the pulling power of art. You never [...]
Article: If famous works of romantic fiction were written while dating in 2016
From the article from The Daily Life by Clem Bastow: "Last week, after another no-show Tinder date, I poured my heart out in a Facebook status (diaries are for chumps): despite my enduring optimism about meeting [...]
Fomosexuality? Interesting phenomenon…
From the article by Dr Nikki Goldstein at news.com.au "Our lives have been overtaken by the concept of FOMO, and this ‘fear of missing out’ on anything is pushing us to quick fixes and further [...]
Article from The Book of Life: Sexual Non-Liberation
From the Book of Life: We are repeatedly given messages that we live in sexually enlightened times, that we belong to a liberated age. And therefore the implication is that we ought by now to [...]
How Jefferson Airplane’s Grace Slick Wrote ‘White Rabbit’
When Grace Slick wrote “White Rabbit” in late 1965, she never imagined the song would pave the way for psychedelic rock and inspire several generations of lead female rock singers, including Pink, who covers it [...]
History Of Erotica
29 Pieces Of Erotic Art That Prove People Have Always Loved Sex
Image: A jade erotic art piece made during the Ming Dynasty (1368-1644). China. Sexuality has been a part of the human experience since our inception as a species. Since the beginning of civilization, humans [...]
Stone Age Carving: Ancient Dildo?
Sex toys have come a long way since the Stone Age – but then again, perhaps not as much as we might think. Last week, an excavation in Sweden turned up an object that bears [...]
Phallic worship around the world in ancient times
From post: A sculpted and polished phallus found in a German cave is among the earliest representations of male sexuality ever uncovered, researchers say. The 20cm-long, 3cm-wide stone object, which is dated to be about [...]
On Photography
Why I like low key lighting…
Low key lighting is a style of cinematography and photography where you create images featuring mainly dark tones to create a dramatic, contrasty looking image. Personally I find myself working a lot in this style. [...]
Famous photographers photographing themselves…
Autorretratos de Fotógrafos Famosos The term " selfie " has become part of our lexicon and self-portraits have never been so popular as of late. But teachers photographers did it first and did it better. [...]
Photographers I Admire
Photographers I Admire – Lutz Dille
From The Compassionate Eye of Lutz Dille by Vincenzo Pietropaolo: The street is like a stage of everyday life, the public sphere of much of our existence, especially in larger cities where the critical mass of [...]
Photographers I admire: Terry O’Neill
From Wikipedia: Terry O'Neill (born 30 July 1938) is an English photographer. He gained renown documenting the fashions, styles, and celebrities of the 1960s. O'Neill's photographs display his knack for capturing his [...]
Photographers I Admire – Phillip Townsend
Bio from the Morrison Hotel Gallery: The British panorama of the 1960s was photographed by a young worldly gentleman who worked as a photojournalist for Tatler Magazine. As the cultural movements of the 60s swung [...]
Photographers I admire – Astrid Kirchherr
Astrid Kirchherr (born 20 May 1938) is a German photographer and artist and is well known for her association with the Beatles (along with her friends Klaus Voormann and Jürgen Vollmer), and [...]
Photographers I Admire – Herb Ritts
You're trying to get to one moment with one frame that eventually may speak for your generation. Herb Ritts, 1999 Herbert "Herb" Ritts Jr. (August 13, 1952 – December 26, 2002) was an American fashion [...]
Photographers I Admire – Henri Cartier-Bresson
Henri Cartier-Bresson (August 22, 1908 – August 3, 2004) was a French photographer considered the master of candid photography, and an early user of 35 mm film. He helped develop street photography, and approvingly cited a notion [...]
What I’m Watching
What I’m Watching… ’Masters of Sex – Season 3′
According to Robert Lloyd, the Los Angeles Times television critic, the show is a "handsome thing, another well-dressed romp through the American mid-century, when things (we imagine) were simpler and (so we like [...]
What I’m watching…François Truffaut documentary: ‘La Leçon de Cinema’
The documentary examines Truffaut’s life and career in astonishing totality, highlighting selected clips from many of his best and most-loved films, including under-appreciated gems like his crackerjack movie-within-a-movie, Day for Night, and [...]
What I’m Watching… ‘Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht’
Nosferatu the Vampyre is a 1979 West German art house vampire film written and directed by Werner Herzog. Its original German title is Nosferatu: Phantom der Nacht ("Nosferatu: Phantom of the Night"). The film is [...]
What I’m Watching…’Three Colors: Red’ Krzysztof Kieślowski
An incandescent meditation on fate and chance, starring Irène Jacob as a sweet-souled yet somber runway model in Geneva whose life intersects with that of a bitter retired judge, played by Jean‑Louis Trintignant. [...]
What I’m Watching… ‘Trois Couleurs : Bleu’
Another film I revisit often. This time to closely observe the cinematography by Slawomir Idziak. Amanda http://www.amazon.com/Three-Colors-Criterion-Collection-Blu-ray Most Popular Posts in 2016 Recent Comments 'This [...]
What I’m Watching – ‘Blow Up’ Dir. Michelangelo Antonioni 1966
From an article by Roger Ebert: Michelangelo Antonioni's "Blow-Up" opened in America two months before I became a film critic, and colored my first years on the job with its lingering influence. It [...]
What I’m Reading
What I’m reading – ‘The Greatest Wisdom – A Philosopher, Poet and Athlete’ by Zac Scy
Excerpt from her post: "This morning I woke up to the news that the greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali, had passed away. I’d like to share some of his quotes and thoughts with you [...]
What I’m reading – Originals: How Non-Conformists Move the World
“This extraordinary, wildly entertaining book sheds new light on the Age of Disruption. What does it take to make a meaningful difference? And how can you apply this insight to your own life? By debunking [...]
What I’m reading… Joy St James aka ‘The Scholarly Slut’
Her latest post: Trumpschmerz She describes herself as a postmodern Moll Flanders. Adventuress, transgressor, verbal ecdysiast, and yogini. Recovering prude, former nerd, brainy bimbo. Her essays and erotica have appeared in various print anthologies and [...]
What I’m reading… Sexuality in Western Art
The book covers art from the so-called "prehistoric Venuses," cave paintings and carvings and takes the reader on a fascinating tour of the whole of western art (with a few diversions to eastern art such [...]
What I’m reading: Two Decades Naked by Leigh Hopkinson
From the article in The Guardian Is working as a stripper honestly empowering? It’s a question I’ve been asking myself since I quit stripping 18 months ago, after spending two decades naked. It’s also a [...]
What I’m reading… ‘David Bailey’s Democracy’
From An Introduction by Desmond Morris... When viewing these portraits it is important to make a distinction between nudity and nakedness. To me, these are naked bodies but they are not nudes. Traditionally the nude [...]
What I’m Listening To
What I’m listening to… Rolfrolf ‘Scared of Your Love’
Lyrics Source: rolfrolf.com I heard you’ve been here asking for me I never thought I’d see you around didn’t expect you’d be looking for me in this part of town My [...]
This had been a sad year for music…
George Martin, producer for The Beatles, dies aged 90, Sir George Henry Martin CBE (3 January 1926 – 8 March 2016) was an English record producer, arranger, composer, conductor, audio engineer, and musician. He is sometimes referred [...]
What I’m listening to…. Mike Oldfield – ‘Tubular Bells’
I actually prefer listening to the 1973 release on vinyl. Here is a pic of one version I must hunt down. Embedded HQ audio from Youtube for those of you who haven't [...]
Other Blogs I Recommend
What I’m reading – ‘The Greatest Wisdom – A Philosopher, Poet and Athlete’ by Zac Scy
Excerpt from her post: "This morning I woke up to the news that the greatest of all time, Muhammad Ali, had passed away. I’d like to share some of his quotes and thoughts with you [...]
What I’m reading… Joy St James aka ‘The Scholarly Slut’
Her latest post: Trumpschmerz She describes herself as a postmodern Moll Flanders. Adventuress, transgressor, verbal ecdysiast, and yogini. Recovering prude, former nerd, brainy bimbo. Her essays and erotica have appeared in various print anthologies and [...]
What I’m reading… RY Magazine
Amy Edwards, 43, is a musician who started rocking about 5 years ago and never looked back. She is consistently learning more than she ever dreamed, and out of this, RYmagazine was born. It’s never [...]
What I’m reading… John’s Consciousness Exploring our “Inner Evolution”
I've been studying and writing about the human subjective experience of consciousness for more than twenty years and have accumulated a fair amount of thoughts and ideas about it. My blog on Wordpress.com is called, [...]
