Li Yinhe talks about sex

Chapter 42 "The Piano Teacher" and Sadomasochism
Sadomasochism is not only a mysterious and interesting social phenomenon, but also has more and more significance in today's world.

I saw the movie "The Piano Teacher" several years ago.Although I hadn't heard of Jelinek's name at that time, her works made me feel extraordinary.The nervous female teacher (played by the actor who played her is not good-looking at all, but it is perfect for her role); the relationship between her and the male student who is much younger than her is full of sadomasochism Color's awkward love affair; her relationship with her mother; her sadomasochistic imagination...all of these are so real and exciting.I thought at the time that this work was definitely not made by ordinary people, so when I saw the DVD of "The Piano Teacher" on the market, I quickly bought a copy and kept it for collection.The subsequent news that Jelinek won the Nobel Prize for Literature did not surprise me at all, but I felt a little complacent about my literary appreciation.

I pay attention to "The Piano Teacher" except for its literary value, of course because of its sadomasochistic imagery.Because I talked about sadomasochism, it entered my research field—I published a monograph on the study of sadomasochism, "Sadomasochism Subculture".

The term "sadomasochism" in English is sadomasochism, sometimes abbreviated as SM, S-M, etc. This concept was first created by sexologist Ebin, who first combined the two concepts of sadism and masochism Introduced into academia to make it a widely accepted and used concept.The word masochism evolved from the name of the Austrian writer Marsock, but the word sadism was not created by him, but first appeared in the French dictionary in 1836, and it was not until the 19s. spread to Germany.The translation method of "sadomasochism" I adopted was proposed by Mr. Pan Guangshi, an older generation of sociologist in my country.This translation is admirable because it is not only concise, but also expresses a special meaning: this tendency has to do with human love behavior, not just sadistic and masochistic activities.

Sadomasochism seems to be a world far away from China, at least on the surface: there are no clubs for sadomasochists in China, nor do many sadomasochists seek treatment from psychologists.Some Westerners regard this as a characteristic of China, and they say: "In Chinese pornographic artworks, aggressive or sadomasochistic images are extremely rare." However, I firmly believe that although Chinese culture has its uniqueness, The Chinese have more in common with the rest of the world than they differ.This is based on my many years of experience living in China and elsewhere abroad.In my many years of investigation and research career, I have indeed encountered cases of sadomasochism: there are cases of sadomasochism in the investigation of women’s sex and love, there are also cases of sadomasochism in the investigation of gay men, and there are cases of A case of sadomasochism that was referred to him by the agency.Although the number is negligible, it at least proves that sadomasochism is by no means a unique phenomenon in other cultures.

Sadomasochism is not only a mysterious and interesting social phenomenon, but also has more and more significance in today's world.It can be predicted that its weight in human life will continue to increase.This is not only because more people are involved in sadomasochistic activities, as Foucault said, "this phenomenon is a more common practice than in the past", and not only because images of sadomasochism appear more and more in the mass media. It is becoming more and more frequent, and because sadomasochism is a special human sexual orientation, it is very important for understanding the sexual nature and activities of human beings, for understanding and building intimate and strong interpersonal relationships, for understanding power relations in social structures, and for understanding ordinary people. Sexuality, as well as the physical and mental state of a person, are quite instructive.

In my opinion, there are two most revolutionary separations in sexual thoughts. One is the separation of sexual pleasure and reproductive behavior, which has become the practice of most people in the world today. Chinese people also participate in this practice, although many people are forced to change their concept of sex because of the family planning policy unless he is completely abstinent except for those one or two children; Sexual pleasure and other bodily pleasures are separated from the genitals, and one of the most avant-garde sexual trends in the world today is to take sexual activity beyond the confines of the genitals and extend it to other parts of the body.Social criticism is discussing the significance of this trend of thought, and feminism is also discussing the special value of this trend of thought for women.One of the meanings of sadomasochism is that it separates pleasure from the reproductive organs. In sadomasochistic activities, sometimes it can even be completely separated from the reproductive organs. As Foucault said: "Its other concept is to separate all parts of the body. They all become sexual tools." Foucault put forward the concept of "desexualization of pleasure" based on the evidence of sadomasochism, which makes sadomasochism no longer just an activity for a few people to pursue pleasure, but has the ability to develop human beings. The realm of mind and body, the meaning of creating new forms of pleasure.

Sadomasochism also has a great philosophical significance: revealing the irrational aspects of human nature.Reason has been the most valued value since the Renaissance.It seems to represent enlightenment and progress, as opposed to medieval ignorance.People not only think that reason is superior to irrationality, but that reason should explain everything.In fact, there are many things that cannot be explained rationally.For example, art and people's perception of beauty are difficult to explain rationally.Sadomasochism is a bit like an art, it is the art of life, it is the art of sex.One of Foucault's most often quoted quotes about sadomasochism is: "The concept ascribed to this practice is not as old as the concept of love; it is a widespread cultural It caused one of the greatest transformations of the Western imagination: an irrational transformation into a delirium of mind.” Foucault believed that sadomasochism is not a sexual perversion, but a cultural phenomenon, an “infinite imagination of desire.” .The significance of sadomasochism is not only that it is a widespread cultural phenomenon, but that it has produced one of the greatest irrational shifts in the Western imagination.I think the reason why Foucault gave positive value to irrationality may be that he believed that the emphasis on rationality since the Enlightenment was overdone and overcorrected. Some radical feminists even associate rationality with patriarchal society and criticize it, justifying the name of irrationality.According to this logic, sadomasochistic activities also have the meaning of giving positive value to irrationality.

It is also worth mentioning the entertainment value of sadomasochism: it is a game for adults, a drama for ordinary people.It can turn ordinary life into drama.It adds color to a gloomy life, adds interest to a dull life, turns dullness into intensity, and turns alienation into intimacy.It's another elegant pastime, which is why more and more people with money and leisure are taking part in it.When it comes to having money and leisure, most Chinese people feel a little uncomfortable, because most of them have no money and leisure. I believe this is one of the reasons why sadomasochism is very active in western developed countries, but relatively rare in China.But I am optimistic that most Chinese people will become more and more wealthy and leisurely, so I will not avoid the suspicion of "advance consumption" and reveal the secret pleasures of the world of sadomasochism, even if the rich and leisurely and the upcoming Chinese people who have money and time to watch "Western view".Foucault once expressed such an idea: a society with no taboos on sex is unthinkable.

But he wants to at least guarantee people the freedom to choose how they act, and the freedom to change norms.I am very pessimistic about the general views of Chinese culture on sex. Foucault once criticized our views on masturbation as staying at the level of Europe in the 18th century. Not only that, in my opinion, our views and practices on homosexuality are still at the At the level of the West before the 20s, the views and practices on pornographic materials and prostitution are far from the level of modern society.Therefore, all discussions of sexual issues in Western academic circles, and Western sexual practices, are as far away as things from an alien planet to most Chinese people.The cultural factor is of course the most important.But here I venture to put forward a hypothesis: assuming that the burden of Chinese culture is no longer so heavy for us; assuming that in addition to food, clothing, warmth and family inheritance, Chinese people also have a little requirement for sexual pleasure; assuming that Chinese people are also willing to be selective Freedom of movement; assuming that the Chinese also like to make their lives more interesting and joyful.

Although Jelinek's "The Piano Teacher" is not a work with the theme of sadomasochism, it digs deeply into this aspect of human nature.Therefore, while we appreciate its literary value, we should not ignore its depiction of sadomasochistic tendencies.It may be a key for us to interpret "The Piano Teacher" and Jelinek.

(End of this chapter)