the foundations of personality-第74章

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er　kind　rests　either　on　a　moderate　self…valuation　or　a　desire　to　avoid　offense　by　not　emphasizing　one's　own　value；　or　it　is　both。　However　sexual　modesty　originated；　practically　it　consists　in　the　concealing　of　certain　parts　of　the　body；　avoiding　certain　topics　of　conversation；　especially　in　the　presence　of　the　other　sex；　and　behaving　in　such　fashion　as　to　restrict　sexual　demonstration。　There　is　a　natural　coyness　in　women　which　has　been　socially　emphasized　by　restrictions　in　dress；　conduct　and　speech　to　a　ridiculous　degree。　Thus　it　was　immodest　in　our　civilization　for　women　to　show　their　legs；　and　the　leg　became　the　symbol　of　the　femaleness　of　the　woman　or　girl；　as　also　did　the　breast。＇1＇　The　body　became　taboo；　and　at　present；　when　women　are　commencing　to　dress　so　that　the　legs　are　shown；　the　arms　are　bare；　and　the　back　and　shoulders　visible；　the　cry　of　immodesty；　immorality　and　social　demoralization　is　raised；　as　if　real　morality　rested　in　these　ridiculous；　barbaric　taboos。　＇1＇　All　the　anthropologists；　Tyler；　McLennan；　Ellis　and　especially　Frazier；　deal　at　length　with　this　fascinating　subject。　The　psychopathologists　relate　the　most　extraordinary　stories　of　fetich　love。

But　no　matter　how　much　one　emphasizes　the　arbitrary　nature　of　modesty；　of　the　restrictions　placed　on　dress；　speech　and　conduct；　it　still　remains　true　that　their　function　is　at　present　to　act　as　inhibitors。　Ridiculous　as　it　is　to　believe　that　morality　resides　in　the　length　of　the　skirt　or　in　the　degree　of　paint　and　powder　on　the　face；　the　fact　is　that　usually　they　who　depart　too　widely　from　the　conventional　in　these　matters　are　uninhibited　and　are　as　apt　to　depart　from　the　conventional　in　deed　as　they　are　in　deportment。　There　are　those　who　say　that　we　would　be　far　more　moral　if　we　went　about　naked；　that　clothes　suggest　more　than　nakedness　reveals。　This　is　true　of　some　kinds　of　clothesthe　half　nakedness　of　the　stage　or　the　ballroom；　or　the　coquettish　additions　to　clothes　represented　by　the　dangling　tassels　but　it　is　not　true　of　the　riding　breeches；　or　the　trim　sport　clothes；　or　the　walking　suit。　The　dress　of　men；　though　ugly；　is　useful；　convenient　and　modest；　and　there　is　no　doubt　that　a　generation　of　free　women；　determined　to　become　human　in　appearance；　could　evolve　a　modest　and　yet　decorative　costume。　All　of　the　present…day　extravagance　in　female　attire；　with　its　ever…changing　fashion；　is　a　medley　of　commercial　intrigues；　female　competition　and　sex　excitement。　Though　the　modesty　restrictions　are　absurd；　the　motive　that　obscurely　prompts　it　is　not；　and　the　transgressors　either　seek　notice　in　a　risky　way；　are　foolish；　to　speak　bluntly；　or　else　are　inviting　actual　sexual　advances。　Though　we　may　actually　restrict　the　sex　life　so　that　some　men　and　women　become　pure　in　the　accepted　sense；　it　will　always　be　true　that　men　and　women　will　be　vaguely　or　definitely　attracted　to　each　other。　Like　the　atmospheric　pressure　which　though　fifteen　pounds　to　the　square　inch　at　the　sea　level　is　not　felt；　so　there　exists　a　sex　pressure；　excited　by　men　and　women　in　each　other。　There　is　a　smoldering　excitement　always　ready　to　leap　into　flame　whenever　the　young　and　attractive　of　the　sexes　meet。　The　conventions　of　modesty　tend　to　restrict　the　excitement；　to　neutralize　the　sex　pressure；　but　they　may　be　swept　aside　by　immodesty　and　the　suggestive。　The　explanation　of　the　anger　and　condemnation　felt　by　the　moral　man　in　the　presence　of　the　〃brazen〃　woman　lies　in　the　threat　to　his　purposes　of　respectability　and　faithfulness；　he　is　angered　that　this　creature　can　arouse　a　conflict　in　him。　The　bitterness　of　the　〃saint〃　against　the　wanton　originates　in　the　ease　with　which　she　tempts　him；　and　his　natural　conclusion　is　that　the　fault　lies　with　her　and　not　with　his　own　passions。　The　respectable　woman　inveigles　against　her　more　untrammeled　sister；　not　so　much　through　her　concern　for　morality；　as　through　the　anger　felt　against　an　unscrupulous　competitor　who　is　breaking　the　rules。　In　so　far　as　women　are　concerned；　the　sex　pressure　on　them　is　increased　in　many　ways。　For　two　years　I　examined；　mentally；　the　girls　who　were　listed　as　sex　offenders　by　the　various　social　agencies　of　Boston。　As　a　result　of　that　experience；　plus　that　of　a　physician　and　citizen　of　the　world；　a　few　facts　of　importance　stand　out　in　my　mind。　1。　There　is　a　group　of　men　whom　one　may　call　sex　adventurers。　These　are　not　all　of　one　kind　in　education；　social　status　and　age；　but　they　seek　sex　experiences　wherever　they　go　and　are　always　alert　for　signs　that　indicate　a　chance　to　become　intimate。　They　take　advantage　of　the　widespread　tendency　to　flirt　and　haunt　the　places　where　the　young　girls　tend　to　parade　up　and　down　（certain　streets　in　every　large　city）；　the　public　dance　halls；　the　skating　resorts；　the　crowded　public　beaches；　etc。　They　regard　themselves　as　connoisseurs　in　women　and　think　they　know　when　a　girl　is　〃ripe〃；　they　are　ready　to　spend　money　and　utilize　flattery；　gifts　and　bold　wooing；　according　to　their　nature　and　the　way　they　size　up　their　prey。　2。　The　female　sex　adventurer　is　not　so　common；　except　in　the　higher　criminal　classes　where　the　effort　to　ensnare　rich　men　calls　forth　the　abilities　of　certain　women。　In　a　limited　way　the　prostitute；　professed　or　clandestine；　is　a　sex　adventurer；　but　ordinarily　she　is　merely　supplying　a　demand　and　has　only　to　exert　herself　physically；　rarely　needing　to　conquer　men's　inhibitions。　We　omit　here　the　schemes　of　conquest　of　girls　and　women　seeking　marriage　as　too　complex　for　any　one　but　a　novelist；　and　also　because　the　moral　code　regards　them　as　legitimate。　Women　who　are　ready　to　accept　sexual　advances　are　common　enough　in　the　uninhibited　girl；　the　dissatisfied　married　woman；　the　young　widow；　the　drug　habitue；　but　aside　from　the　woman　who　has　capitalized　her　sex；　the　sex　adventurer　is　largely　male。　What　attracts　him？　For　he　rarely　pesters　the　good　woman；　and　ordinarily　the　average　woman　is　not　solicited。　The　girl　usually　〃picked　up〃　dresses　immodestly　or　in　the　extreme　of　style；　even　though　she　is　essentially　shabby　and　poorly　clad。　To…day　business　sees　to　it　that　fripperies　are　within　the　reach　of　every　purse。　She　usually　corresponds　to　a　type　of　prettiness　favored　in　the　community；　often　what　is　nowadays　called　the　chicken　type。　Plump　legs　and　fairly　prominent　bosom　and　hips　are　symbols　of　those　desired　among　all　grades　of　men；　together　with　a　pretty　face。　The　homely　girl　finds　it　much　easier　to　walk　unmolested。　If　she　appears　intelligent　and　firm；　the　above　qualities　will　only　entitle　her　to　glances；　respectful　and　otherwise。　The　sex　adventurer　hates　to　be　rebuffed；　and　he　is　not　desperately　in　love；　so　that　he　will　not　risk　his　vanity。　If　she　appears　of　that　port　vivacious　type　just　above　the　moron　levelin　other　words　if　she　is　neither　bright　nor　really　feeble…mindedthen　sex　pressure　is　increased。　The　feeble…minded　girl　of　the　moron　type；　or　the　over…innocent　and　unenlightened　girl；　is　always　in　danger。　There　is　further　the　sexually　excited　or　the　uninhibited　girl。　We　must　differentiate　between　those　who　attempt　no　control；　and　those　whose　surge　of　desire　is　beyond　the　normal　limits。　The　uninhibited　of　both　sexes　are　a　large　group；　and　the　bulk　of　the　prostitutes　are　deficient　in　this　respect