Date: Thu, 18 Apr 1996 21:43:17 -0700
Subject: Re[2]: Lenin, Zetkin, Marx on sex?


  Thanks to those who replied to my question on 
  this topic--very, er, stimulating.  I have 
  various ways I would respond (to Justin in 
  particular--one minor point: I didn't understand 
  what Justin meant by "the more the better" as 
  regards sex.  Surely it is possible to have more 
  sex than is good for one, even just from a 
  physical health point of view, no?  By contrast, 
  not having any sex--is, so empirical studies of 
  "practising celibates" tell us, by no means 
  unhealthy in itself, physically or 
  psychologically).  But what I would have to say 
  would, I suspect, hold little interest for 
  subscribers to a marxism list.  However one 
  aspect of what I would say if I were to develop 
  a response would touch on the question of love.
  So let me ask another question.  Is there 
  anything in Marxist/socialist theory which could 
  be used to develop a distinctive general account 
  of the role of love (including but not confined 
  to sexual love) in human life.  For example, 
  would it be a fair or unfair interpretation of 
  Marx/marxism(s) to see communism as generating a 
  greater human capacity for love, or of enabling 
  existing capacities to be more fully realized?  
  (Would people be better lovers in communist 
  society?)  Or would that just be a very 
  unmarxian way of talking about it?  Or is this 
  just not an interesting question for marxists?
  
  Peter
  pburns-AT-lmumail.lmu.edu


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