Psychology of Sex.
It has been pointed out above that besides its primary and main biological function of the transmission of life, sex also has a powerful stimulating and vitalizing influence on the development of the individual, which is particularly conspicuous in time of adolescence and approaching puberty. But the influence of sex is not only limited to the physical sphere; in fact, its influence on the psychology and mentality of the individual is equally powerful, far-reaching, and lasting thru the greater part of life. Sex unquestionably is the greatest emotional power in human life, the greatest and strongest single factor controlling human feelings and emotions. From a mere physical animal instinct of procreation as it is manifested in the animal world, in the man Nature has transformed and has exalted sex into the highest all-pervading function of human life, has spiritualized and beautified this physical impulse into a most ennobling and ecstatic passion of the human soul—the passion of love.
Love between a man and woman and its consummation in marriage and formation of the unit, the family, is the highest expression and development of the primitive sex instinct; it is the only form of expression of the sexual impulse intended by Nature and sanctioned by religion and the social code of morals. Sex, in its spiritualized and purified form of love, has ever been the dominating and controlling factor in the history of the human race. Love has furnished more to the content of the emotional life of human kind than any other emotional force. Love has been at all times the source of inspiration to the greatest creative geniuses of all arts, be it music, literature, drama, pictures, etc. Nothing thrills an average man or woman as much, nothing strikes a vibrating response of a human heart as quickly as an artistically presented romance of love. The only instinct that rivals in intensity the love between man and woman is mother’s love, which is also based on the sex impulse, tho of a wider import. Mother love is, as it were, a continuation of the biological function of sex, a Nature’s provision to protect and to raise the offspring begotten in love.
The power of sex for good or evil in human life is unlimited. A spiritualized sex impulse—love—ennobles the man and renders him responsive to the best and highest sentiments, inspires him to noblest deeds of devotion and self-sacrifice. The sex impulse, not exalted by the divine touch of love, and left unbridled in its primitive form, becomes a destructive and brutalizing force, that not only inflicts the physical punishment of disease and loss of sexual power, but also destroys the best and noblest elements of manhood.
The fact that every man and boy suffering from a venereal disease or a disorder resulting from bad sexual habits feels ashamed, degraded, and deeply disgusted with himself, is due not only to the fear of public disgrace and ridicule, but it is essentially a feeling of guilt against his own physical and moral self.
Besides the emotional sphere, sex exerts an equally far-reaching influence on the sphere of mentality. The faculties of intellect and reasoning are not affected directly by the sexual impulse, but indirectly the intellectual capacity is greatly dependent upon sexual characteristics of the man. A man leading a normal sexual life, that is, being continent if he is below the age of full sexual maturity, and, being married, if he is above the age, commands the best conditions of intellectual efficiency. His mind being undisturbed and unshaken by periodical waves of sexual excitement, of casual indulgences and nervous exhaustions following sexual excesses or abuses, remains steadily in a state of perfect repose and continual freshness, which renders him capable of the greatest mental concentration and vigorous sustained mental effort.
In the case of a married man, the state of mental energy and efficiency is still more increased by a powerful incentive and stimulation felt by every normal man to exert his best efforts and to strive to the best of his ability for the welfare and good name of his family. Strange as it may seem to some, the sexual impulse and feeling has had the greatest influence on the development of morals and social ethics. The popular old-time idea that the sexual organs and feeling are something shameful, disgusting, and loathsome is based on a gross ignorance and on a crude, vulgar, and narrow-minded interpretation of the great natural provision. Whatever shameful, immoral, or degrading there may be about the sexual feeling and function is put into it by the ignorant, vicious, and vulgar mental attitude and unclean thoughts of man.
Surely the impulse and organs of the human body, designed by the Great Creator for the highest function of human life—that of transmission of life—cannot be shameful, nor vulgar, nor immoral. The broad and intelligent interpretation of sex raises it above a mere animal instinct, ennobles and purifies it from any element of low and brutal passions, and by instilling in the man a feeling of sacredness and moral obligation on his part towards the future family, renders the sex problem a subject worthy of reverence and earnest study.