Email to:The New Joy Of Sex: A Cruel Blow For Social Inclusion
First, a message: I hope you don’t find this story gratuitous in these most uncertain of times. I am well aware that, for mum and dad investors, bouts of vigorous lovemaking are probably the last thing on their minds.
HOWEVER: There’s been lots of hoopla surrounding the recent publication of an updated version of the 1972 ‘how to’ bedroom classic, The Joy Of Sex. Click here for: Sample of hoopla
Sadly, the man who authored, The Joy Of Sex, Dr Alex Comfort, was working so hard on the New Joy, he died on the job. So, it was the British sexologist, Susan Quilliam, who brought the new tome to publication.
When news came through that there was a New Joy, I immediately set about doing what I do best: reading about sex. Night after night, I poured over the New and Old Joys, undertaking exhaustive textual analysis. My mission? To compare, to contrast, to find out how sexual procliviites had changed in the period bookended by Gough and Kevins’ elections.
For many nights, my ‘compare and contrast’ mission threw up nought. Both Joys are full of explanations and drawings of several hundred very weird and confronting coital positions. Both Joys still mention specialities like pattes d’araignee, croupade cuissade and Viennese oysters. I thought pattes d’araignee al least sounded achievable. But, when I quizzed my favourite fella at my local Woolies about ingredients, he looked blank. So, by the time I returned to my research, I was very, very despondent.
Then: Paydirt. Great Paydirt. This is what I threw up. The Old Joy has no less than four pages on how to conduct oneself, how to avoid making a fool of oneself at orgies. May I quote?
Orgies need hell of a lot of martini lubrication. A warning though: They tend to be run by liberal intellectuals who invariably end up talking rather than doing. Hence we can well believe that the best orgiasts are the prosperous upper middle class, minor jet setters and showbiz types. (Comfort, A, MD,PhD, pp,168-172, The Joy Of Sex, Simon and Schuster, Fireside Book, 1972, sic).
The last known orgaists (image credit : ClintJCL - flikr)
Then, Dr Comfort nailed his theme in no uncertain terms:
There is no reason why sex should not be social if you wish …there could also be complications and anxieties, but there can always be complications, even at bridge parties…..
But, by 2008 The New Joy signalled a complete turn around. All references to the sensual, Socially Inclusive world of orgiasts, had been wiped clean. And why? To quote:
Because, in general, society accepts the norm that sex happens in the private realm between two people.
And so, The New Joy strongly advises to keep even threesomes or foursomes, let alone sixtytwosomes, to the realm of fantasy.
So, my ’compare and contrast’ assignment had delivered big time but I knew my toughest, most draining work had just begun. For 16 days, one question overrode my routine creepy thoughts: WHY had orgiasts been excluded from the overarching policy of Social Inclusion?
My conclusions?
* The Rudd, and other western democratic governments, are waiting to see what emissions trading schemes will look like before inviting orgiasts to the table.
* Crippling petrol prices mean that millions of orgiasts have excluded themselves from what used to be their favourite tilt at Social Inclusion. Trips across town for just another orgy, can no longer be justified.
* Orgiasts of the prosperous middle-class first identified by Dr Comfort in 1972, now have pitiful bodies. Millions are finding even twosomes, very hard yakka. Still more have been brought low by society’s fetishistic worship of youth and perfection. For these former orgiasts, even rare bouts of one-to-one lovemaking, are only just tolerable.
I’d love to you to help me with my on-going research. Did the orginal Joy Of Sex change your life or did you think it was bit much? Should Bunnings – the king of DIY - stock the New Joy Of Sex? Should any right-thinking society ban orgiasts, menage-a-troisists and swingers from seeking any Government funding for projects falling under the Social Inclusion banner? Or perhaps, you attended your first orgy when your excitement levels peaked after your very first Moratorium march and you have no intention of stopping. Love to hear from you too, you devil….
Just click on the ‘comment’ thingo and follow the simple instructions. The place when you write your gems is at the bottom of the last published comment. *A little bit of counsel for people new to this caper. Your email (just called ‘mail’ in this case) address does NOT come up on site. And you just ignore the ‘website’ space – not necessary!
Prawn Cutlet Award
October 6th, 2008 at 8:33 am
Ah – The Joy of Sex – What memories your story evokes for a bride of 1973 – “The Joy”, along with Dr L. Jones’ “Everywoman” was compulsory and dare I say, compelling reading. Later, these two books got a good workout every Saturday night – No! not from us, but many a babysitter cut their sexual teeth so to speak after the children were safely in bed.
October 6th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Bookends???
I recall a JOYously grinning Margaret Whitlam towering over the diminutive Hondo Grattan, sashing him after his 1974 Miracle Mile Harold Park win. Maybe it wasn’t the little champ she was really pondering.
Can’t imagine much grinning in the 2008 leadership version. Could be caught by that Parkes scope!
October 7th, 2008 at 12:42 pm
I am trying to like your blog, and I thought this topic could be it but all I can think of is that whoever told you you were funny must have been having a laff. You’re trying too hard. Sorry.
October 7th, 2008 at 12:45 pm
Oh, okay. Maybe I’ll give you another go. Just so you’re not put off. Keep it up!
October 7th, 2008 at 1:08 pm
Gee Flying Fox, you’re full of complexities!
October 7th, 2008 at 4:51 pm
It’s about time that kerriejean started blathering about the only subject that anyone from Leeton has expertise on and that is the very Australian and very rural topic of pantsmen. I’ve been waiting for years for her magnum opus about Australia’s contribution to orgiast history, and at last she’s “come out” so to speak by mentioning non aussie, Dr Alex Comfort, ‘dying on the job’, which of course, is a great tradition amongst our political pantsmen, at least of the tory variety. More please!…..as for attending an orgy after my first moratorium march. As they say if you can remember attending then you probably weren’t there!
October 7th, 2008 at 6:04 pm
Yes, Stan, it’s true that quite a while ago, while working in Radio National’s Social History unit, I excitedly told my boss about my next doco idea: a history of the Australian pantsman in the popular imagination (cinema, literature, music etc). Her reaction? Shock. I suddenly thought: perhaps I’m being too ambitious, trying to cover too much ground. So I said: Look I know it’s a big job – probably a two or three-parter to be honest! Shortly after, I left my superior’s office with everything sorted out – no pantsmen research, no pantsmen interviews, no pantsmen edit, no pantsmen nothing. Humiliating!
On ‘dying on the job’ – I have only once souvenired a billboard from outside a newsagency. I still have it. It’s from the now defunct The Truth. It says: Sneddon Died On The Job.
October 8th, 2008 at 7:36 am
Miss KJ
Like the blog, I don’t think the orgy can be written off. If people are prepared to invest, remarkable results can be achieved. Try googling Max Mosley. True, he’s had to put up with impertinent questions from the usual reptiles but even so, I think his record speaks for itself.
October 8th, 2008 at 1:41 pm
As the lover I have attempted to immerse myself deep in the flokati rug of orgy only to be disappointed time and time again. You see it’s all about the decor, a girl needs a ‘look’ to get her to the ’special place’ if she intends to let it all hang out with total strangers. Images of grapes, columns and buffed centrepieces are just the ticket to twist the lover’s arm, the experience of the outdoor ill-fitting hot tub in the back alley in a northshore suburb just didn’t do it for me.
October 12th, 2008 at 12:53 pm
Oh KJ, I read the Kinsey Report and realised I’m beyond help – so dear girl, I’m sorry that I cannot help you with your longitudinal study cos I don’t even score a leg over. But I am thrilled that someone is doing it on my behalf. If matters take a turn for the better for this 50yo frisky, senior, you girlfriend will be first to know. DON’T hold your breath KJ. I need you to be up and running cos your advice has bailed me out on several occasions. I’m so appreciative, I have sought a canonisation for you, though this could be tricky if the Pope surfs your sagacious site.
October 22nd, 2008 at 8:44 pm
Ditto Fanny!
I’m beyond help too. Although I did go once to a swingers club a few years ago to learn more about the things that people do. But even the cover of a local Museum exhibition about the sex industry (for which I was writing the article that took me to the swingers club), failed to do anything other than dishearten my colleague and I. Maybe it was because the club was located in an industrial estate? Or maybe because I’m beyond help!
So onwards forwards KJ with your research about social inclusion and the joy of sex. I too will seek canonisation for you.
CrankyO
November 5th, 2008 at 8:19 pm
Sorry KJ,
Call me old fashioned but as much as I love any books on sex, all of that activity belongs in my house with my husband. No swinging for me. I made a vow and will always stick with it. And no I’ve never been to an orgy and have no desire to. Sex is something I believe we should enjoy with our partners alone…and maybe with a good book! There are far too many without morals who manage to share their bed with a variety regularly…what is society coming to?
Maggie.
November 9th, 2008 at 12:58 pm
KJ Another thought! Does this mean that those in our society who are blind could throw some light on the debate? Having never accessed either of these titillating tomes, I bet these orgiasts have a crakerjack sex life born out of spontenaity. Way to go!