We have spoken thus far of the active Don Juan and of Messalina types and we have attempted to prove that homosexuality is responsible. Along the extreme types we find endless varieties of transitional types. Nature nowhere confounds us through the richness of her varieties and combinations so much as in the manifestations of human sexuality.
The would-be Don Juan and would-be Messalina are most interesting types. They behave precisely like the true type. They manifest the same uncontrollable and restless craving. But somewhere in their development the capacity to carry out heterosexual adventures fails them. I am not now speaking of the man who plays Don Juan in his mind’s fancy or of the Messalina who does not truly possess the courage to try to live up to her instinctive cravings. There are numberless such cases and a bit of the type lurks in the breast of every person, a fact we recognize as the polygamic tendency.
The type which I wish to describe approaches the ascetic. It is plain that the ascetic ideal would not arise if a strong homosexual tendency did not depreciate heterosexuality. For every action is the product of instinct and repression. An overpowerful instinct may overcome even the strongest inhibitions. But if a portion of the individual’s sexual energy is anchored homosexually the aggressive sexual acts are endowed only with a portion of the energy they require. If the energy is shunted off its proper track entirely we have the ascetic person; and if the energy is but partially side-tracked and is insufficient for the accomplishment of the sexual aim, we have the would-be Don Juan type.
There are any number of men who daily dream only of their possible conquests, begin adventures, and carry them along for a time only to drop the affairs suddenly ... because they “get cold feet.” They envy men who are able to pursue their adventures to the end, men fortunate enough actually to make conquests and they bewail the fate which brings them so close to the most tempting fruit only to prove elusive just when the fruit seems ready to fall into their lap,—and to be gone forever. Better than all generalizations may serve the account of an actual case, like the following:
Mr. Xaver Z., would like to be a “lively fellow,” like most of his companions. He claims that his shyness spoils his success. He is 29 years old and has never yet had a “real” affair. When he wakes up in the morning he thinks: “Will you have luck today to talk up to a girl and get her?” The whole day he thinks of this so that he is continually distracted and unable to work. He is also dissatisfied with his business accomplishments. Others work so easily and accomplish everything without friction, he is slow and not energetic enough. He thinks that somehow he lacks initiative. He is always tired and depressed, and he has already been in sanitaria several times vainly trying to get well. He can hardly wait for evening to arrive so he may go into the street in search of adventure. He speaks to a number of girls but nothing comes of it. He has also tried a “personal” in the newspaper and corresponds with several women. But they are only platonic relations. He either lacks the courage to become more intimate with the women or finds himself repulsed when making a suggestion of the kind. He thinks he is unlike other men and it discourages him. He always feels lonely and Sundays are a torture to him. He tries to meet poor people and pays them occasionally to partake of an evening meal with them so as not to feel quite so lonely.
He is a travelling salesman. He fears that he is not an efficient salesman. He lacks the power of influencing his prospective customers, he seems unable to talk as convincingly to them as other men in his calling. He acts indifferent and if he sees that the customer does not intend to buy he goes right off. He is employed by an older brother. He is lucky. Another employer would have dismissed him long ago. While his brother does not reproach him in words he can read it in the brother’s eyes.
Regarding his sexual life he is able to state that sexual matters began early to interest him. He does not remember the beginning of it. He does remember that he masturbated at 10 years of age and he continued the practice till he was 20 years old. Then he heard about the evil consequences and gradually gave it up. But even after that he masturbated every two months or so and always felt very worried after doing it.
He began going to women at twenty years of age. Since that time he has intercourse about once every two weeks with prostitutes, or occasionally with some girl whom he picks up on the street and who usually expects pay; he is strongly potent. He has no particular pleasure with prostitutes. He goes to them out of a sense of duty because all his colleagues have intercourse with women and he wants to be like them. It is a hygienic measure rather than an inner compulsion with him. But he always fancies that, under the right conditions, when the girl gives herself out of love, it must be different. He felt so dissatisfied because he was never lucky enough to have a real sweetheart. For the girls he picked up on the street were really nothing more than ordinary prostitutes since they, too, expect some present if not regular pay.
He was distinctly unlucky. Other young men were always lucky but he, quite the contrary. There must be something about him that makes persons keep away when they get to know him more intimately.