Charles Murtaugh has an interesting post up in response to a TNR review of a book about 18th century American sexual morality.
Nostalgia for the straight and narrow morality of ages past is literally always misplaced. Whether one is looking back to the 1950s, 1850s, or beyond, one is shocked to find out that people were still having sex before and after marriage and occasionally even enjoying it. I'm too lazy to find the statistics right now, but I seem to remember the illegitimate birth rates in 19th century Italy were shocking compared to today's lowly numbers.
Sears Roebuck sold vibrators through its catalogs as late as 1918.
Even our modern religious conservatives weren't always prudes. Tim LaHaye, of more recent 'Left Behind' fame, began his celebrity status with a sex manual for good married christians in 1976. It offered more than just the missionary position.
Even homosexuality isn't a recent invention. Hard to believe, I know.
I could go on. But, the false nostalgia of cultural conservatives for a time that never was would be kinda cute if they weren't so set on sending us all back to that imagined time.
Jody has related thoughts.
