Author(s): School of Life (Business Enterprise) Staff; Alain de Botton (Series edited by)

General Health

Shame means that many couples still find it difficult to be honest with one another about who they are and what they need to feel sexually satisfied. We shouldn't suppose that we can always and invariably share our every sexual proclivity with others, but there's a lot we could feel more confident about expressing. Things that seem strange can turn out to be quite understandable when we consider them rationally; there's an important role for philosophical analysis in stretching the understanding we have of our own desires. Sex explores a range of sexual enthusiasms in order to help us acknowledge hitherto forbidden aspects of ourselves and to communicate them in unpanicked, undefensive ways to our partners. Its goal is to help us to be maturely unfrightened of our own sexuality; to reduce unnecessary shame; and to increase opportunities for moments of courageous and relationship-enhancing honesty.