Simmel was following his own research agenda, which he sketched in his ‘Problem of Sociology’ (Simmel, 1971a). For him, the aim of sociology was to study “the objective reality of sociation” (35), essentially those processes of interaction, which he differentiated into “social form” and “content” (24). During his career, Simmel himself investigated many of those forms , but excluded sexuality from his writing. Although it is possible to trace thoughts about sexuality within his accounts, none of his essays was tackling this form of human interaction explicitly. In the course of this essay, it will nevertheless be attempted to describe the form of sexuality in Simmelian terms being a reciprocal interaction characterised by the duality of love and lust. After the investigation of sexuality as a ‘pure form’ in terms of the categories introduced above, two exemplary ‘contents’ will be looked at following Simmel’s own fragmentary style. Choosing pornography and celibacy as contrasting and extreme examples, one might be able to test the validity of the account given beforehand and examine the relicts of sexuality per se in far-removed contents. However, first of all, a Simmelian analysis of sexuality as such will be given in the following first paragraphs.
Table of Contents
1. Introduction
2. Sexuality as a Pure Form
2.1 The Emotional Side: Love
2.2 The Bodily Side: Lust
3. Exemplary Contents
3.1 Celibacy
3.2 Pornography
4. Conclusion
Objectives and Topics
This essay aims to provide a sociological analysis of sexuality using Georg Simmel’s conceptual framework of distance, reciprocity, and dualism. It examines how sexuality functions as a reciprocal interaction between love and lust, subsequently testing this theoretical construct by applying it to the extreme content-based cases of celibacy and pornography.
- Application of Simmelian "formal sociology" to human sexuality.
- Examination of the dualism between emotional "love" and bodily "lust."
- Sociological exploration of celibacy as an expression of self-denial and self-refinement.
- Analysis of pornography as a manifestation of mediated distance and visual transparency.
- Evaluation of reciprocity as a key component of social interaction within sexual contexts.
Excerpt from the Book
Pornography in contrast is only lust, only body, only desire.
Placing it in the ‘sexuality-duality’ depicted above, it excludes soul and is focused on the ‘body’ side of desire, but not pleasure as will be shown below. It can be defined as “obscene representations” leading to “sexual arousal” (Cowie, 1993: 132). The “graphic depiction of vile whores” which is the original translation of porne graphos, includes print media (books and magazines) as well as film and image on screen (TV or computer) (Dworkin, 1991: 199). In effect all of those genres can be seen through a similar lens as will be attempted in the following paragraph with another duality. To describe pornography using another duality it seems intriguing to apply the paradox between mediated distance and absolute closeness. In terms of distance, Simmel depicts the ‘fear of getting to close’ (“die Furcht, in allzu nahe Berührung mit den Objekten zu kommen” (Simmel: 1989: 660f)) as a primary human motive. One doesn’t want to come too close, get too acquainted with things, which might be the driving force behind pornography: you are not in direct contact with your opposite, only read about it or watch it.
Summary of Chapters
1. Introduction: This chapter establishes the theoretical research agenda based on Simmel's "Problem of Sociology" and introduces the goal of analyzing sexuality as a reciprocal interaction.
2. Sexuality as a Pure Form: This section deconstructs sexuality into a duality of "love" (emotional desire/sentiment) and "lust" (bodily drive/pleasure), characterizing it as a complex reciprocal process.
2.1 The Emotional Side: Love: This subsection focuses on love as an expression of sentiment and complete intimacy, emphasizing the connection between souls rather than mere physical drives.
2.2 The Bodily Side: Lust: This subsection examines lust as the "degraded" or bodily sphere of sexuality, relating it to species propagation and the spatial tension between desire and pleasure.
3. Exemplary Contents: This chapter bridges the gap between Simmel’s pure forms and specific real-world manifestations by introducing the concept of "contents."
3.1 Celibacy: This subsection analyzes celibacy as a non-reciprocal content defined by the duality of self-denial and self-refinement.
3.2 Pornography: This subsection explores pornography as a content defined by the paradox of mediated distance and absolute transparency, resulting in a lack of genuine reciprocal pleasure.
4. Conclusion: The final chapter summarizes the findings, reiterating that neither pornography nor celibacy captures the full reciprocal nature of sexuality, and reflects on their role in contemporary social debates.
Keywords
Georg Simmel, Sociology, Sexuality, Reciprocity, Dualism, Love, Lust, Celibacy, Pornography, Formal Sociology, Social Interaction, Sentiment, Bodily Drive, Distance, Obscenity
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the fundamental focus of this academic essay?
The essay explores the sociology of sexuality by applying Georg Simmel’s theoretical concepts of "social forms," "contents," and the duality of human interaction.
What are the central thematic fields explored?
The core themes include the duality of love and lust, the role of reciprocity in human relations, and the analysis of social behaviors like celibacy and pornography as "contents" of sexual form.
What is the primary research goal of the author?
The goal is to describe sexuality in Simmelian terms as a reciprocal interaction and to test the validity of this model by applying it to two contrasting and extreme social contents.
Which scientific method is utilized in this study?
The author employs a qualitative, formal-sociological method, relying on structural analysis and the application of established theoretical dualisms to interpret specific social phenomena.
What topics are covered in the main section of the paper?
The main section investigates the theoretical definition of sexuality as a "pure form" and analyzes how celibacy and pornography represent deviations or specific applications within that framework.
Which keywords define the core of the work?
Key terms include Simmelian sociology, reciprocity, the duality of love and lust, mediated distance, and the distinction between social form and content.
How does the author define celibacy in a sociological context?
Celibacy is defined as an "abstract notion" of sexual abstinence, characterized not by its religious origins but as a structural duality between self-denial and self-refinement.
Why does the author consider pornography to be "distant"?
Pornography is viewed as distant because it involves a mediated relationship (visual consumption) rather than direct, reciprocal contact, thereby maintaining a space between the subject and the object of desire.
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- Johannes Lenhard (Autor), 2011, Simmel on Sexuality, Múnich, GRIN Verlag, https://www.grin.com/document/182787
