In the current (well, dated 1 April 2006, no fooling) edition of his newsletter, one of my favotire authors of all time Piers Anthony ponders sex and stress among other things . . . Piers Anthony’s Newsletter . . .
From NEW SCIENTIST: Keep stress at bay by having sex beforehand. But it has to be penetrative sex; other forms don’t do it. The effect lasts for a week or so. I wonder how they found out? Did they do a double-blind study of copulating and noncopulating couples? “You penetrated her what with your what?!”
Good question. The actual New Scientist piece is worth hunting for as well. Sex is much more important in human psychological well being than previously thought. When teaching Maslow’s hierarchy of motives/needs, students are sometimes confused when I list the physiological needs – the ones that you need to survive – as that step on the ol’ pyramid contains the obvious bits of food and water but it also includes sex which the students don’t usually see as a life or death need . . . however, it is a basic need and impulse, one that can be sublimated but it is still a primary driver. Now, we can see how it relates more clearly to a mechanism in mental health . . . . albeit, once a week still steems like a very low dosage for medicinal sex . . . if one dose of penetrative sex lasts a week, hmmmm, won’t daily doses improve the effect? I don’t have any data on that, but I’m going to go ahead and go with a "yes" . . . besides I have a long ring finger so it makes sense for me.
In other bits, Anthony notes a piece on empathy . . .
From the Sunday supplement PARADE: “All pedophiles–even the ones who describe their predatory conduct as ‘love’–lack empathy. The pain of others is immaterial to the pursuit of their own pleasures.” I don’t know whether that is true, but I think it also describes the present political administration, whose pursuit of ever more money for its supporters takes little or no note of the pain of those impoverished by its actions. Empathy is vital to the human condition, but before we crack down on those who lack it, we had better be aware who they are and how they may retaliate.
No argument from me . . . those familiar with Anthony’s recent trials and tribulations and the failing health of his wife and direct connection to current administration policies will understand his feelings . . . note that Piers Anthony now wears his hair in a ponytail and unlike my now rather longish locks, his long hair is not due to fashion choice.
All the best,
Brian
STAGE, PERFORMANCE, ENTERTAINMENT HYPNOSIS – June 5-9, 2006
See "training" at http://www.briandavidphillips.com for details!
Brian David Phillips, PhD, CH [phillips@nccu.edu.tw]Certified Hypnotherapist
President, Society of Experiential Trance
Associate Professor, NCCU, Taipei, Taiwan
http://www.briandavidphillips.com
