America is stuck in a dilemma. We're the land of the free. We champion personal liberty, individual choice and freedom of expression. But all these ideals go out the door when it comes to sex. Because when it comes to one of life's most basic functions, we're about as mature as a bunch of six-year-olds.
This country has two major fears: violence and sex. Now fear of violence is understandable. If there's something dangerous out there that could potentially harm us it's healthy to be cautious. But how right is it to put hurting people in the same category as having sex with them? When critics aren't going on about how violent our culture is, they're also railing against how perverse we are. And this view is in desperate need of revision.
No matter who you are, where you're from or what you believe, sex is going to be a big part of your life. Whether you think its natural, dirty, beautiful or sinful, it's going to impact you because everybody is biologically wired for sex. We want it and we seek it for most of our lives. Part of what makes us such a successful species is our innate preoccupation with sex. And yet this country is stuck in a perpetual state of immaturity.
Just think back to that fateful moment during the Superbowl XXXVIII halftime show when America was supposedly traumatized by Janet Jackson's nipple. It happened over the span of one miniscule second, but it was enough to send the people of this country into a frenzy. Parents cowered in fear that at the thought of their children being exposed to such horror. Because in an age of terrorism, what could be more horrifying than nudity? They thought they were scarred for life, thinking their kids were too fragile to accept something as basic as a female nipple.
Then there was the controversy over the video game, "Grand Theft Auto: San Andreas." It was the best selling game of 2005 and featured such acts as stealing cars, murdering cops and blowing things up. But that isn't what caused the controversy. What sent people over the edge was a hidden mode that revealed a mini-game where the main character had consensual sex with a woman.
That's right. It wasn't the killing or violence that sent people over the edge. It was consensual sex. They were okay with images of people murdering each other. But two people having sex with each other? Honestly, why does this make us cringe like babies?
Part of it has to do with our culture. American attitudes toward sex stem from Victorian era prudishness and Puritan values. These values saw sex as only as a means of procreation. The moral argument was that sexual promiscuity is sinful. The pragmatic side of this was that promiscuity led to unplanned pregnancies, which in turn led to strains on families and social structures. So there are valid reasons why certain sexual taboos develop.
But times have changed. Technology has given us the ability to control our bodies. We're a civilization of condoms, birth control pills and Viagra. We have things our ancestors couldn't dream of.
And even in ancient times when our understanding was primitive at best, people went to great lengths to control their sexuality for purposes of procreation and fun.
There's always been sex for love, sex for pleasure, sex for money and sex in general. It's never going to stop because it's part of who we are. All throughout the animal kingdom there is sex and not all of it is just for reproduction. Monkeys and dolphins have been known to have sex for pleasure.
They've also been known to engage in homosexual sex. And believe it or not, the most common form of sexual relationships over the course of civilization is polygamy. So when people say they're for traditional marriage, they're clearly not aware of the history of humanity.
So why are we still so wary of sex? America does have a sexual culture. Pornography is big business and so is sexual health. But there are still lingering taboos that hold us back from being blunt about something we have no reason to be ashamed of. Now, granted, there is a dark side to sex.
Things such as rape and pedophilia are serious problems. But that doesn't mean we should all cringe at the sight of naked body parts. We're all naked underneath our clothes and we need to be a lot more mature as a culture and a society.
We're all going to be affected by sex sooner or later. And the better we understand it, the better our chances are of using it appropriately. Like anything else, we need to embrace the good and deal with the bad. It all starts with being more open about our sexuality.
There are so many more pressing issues in this world and we need to stop wasting time on outdated taboos.