Thursday, August 25, 2011

Sex-pol: Essays, 1929-1934

Sex-pol: Essays, 1929-1934

Yeah, I'm definately out of order. What I had intended to read was Listen, Little Man! but I couldn't find a copy handy. I'm sure I would've read that out of order, too. But this edition of Sex-Pol fell out of a library shelf and into my hands so I took it home to check it out.
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Like a lot of my readings, I can't remember why I first added Reich to my list, or why I had picked any specific title of his. I am sure it was most likely a result of Bill Burroughs listing Reich as an influence- particularly in his Nova Express series, which I read around this time. Cut-up mentions of orgone machines and released sexual expression may have led me to believe that understanding Reich would have an important impact on understanding his influence on pop culture. Or at least Devo's hats.
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My review of the book: Fans of Reich's controversial views on orgone machines and other sexual themes will be disappointed in this largely straightforward take on how sexuality fits into society, specifically within socialism and the communist movement. While views such as female independance and sexual freedom for youth (as well as his criticism of the CP and Hitler) may have sparked outrage in the thirties, it comes across as common sense now. Perhaps the greatest value of this tome, outside of it's importance in a historical context, is to illuminate how ahead of his time Reich is. But I recommend this book to students of psychiatry and socialism only- casual readers (like me) will find themselves skimming ahead looking for interesting bits.
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Readers: Has anyone else read Reich's stuff? Is it worth revisiting the essays he wrote later in life which would still be considered controversial today? One day I plan on getting around to it.
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