Sexual urges are among the most primal drives that humans have, second only to hunger. While hunger can be satiated temporarily by eating, satisfying sexual desires requires more time and effort. Humans have been looking for ways to fulfill their sexual needs since time immemorial. Over the centuries, people have come up with various techniques to increase sexual pleasure, such as music, lighting, touch, smell, and location.
None of these techniques fully satisfy one's longing for physical contact with another human being. Some believe that knowing mortality heightens sexual yearning because it makes you realize how precious life is and how fleeting it is. Others say that knowledge of death reframes sexual meaning entirely, making every moment spent with a loved one special.
The connection between death and sexuality has been observed in different cultures throughout history. In ancient Egyptian culture, the god Osiris was associated with both sex and death. His phallus was a symbol of fertility, while his resurrection after being murdered and dismembered symbolized new life. Similarly, in Hinduism, Shiva is considered the God of love and destruction simultaneously. He is often portrayed holding a phallus and dancing on top of a corpse. This imagery suggests that sexual desire and death are intertwined.
In some Native American tribes, sexual activities were seen as a way to connect with the spirit world. They believed that if they engaged in sexual acts, their souls would not be trapped in this realm but could move freely between the living and the dead. This belief also explains why some tribes used ritualized death and sex practices.
Among the Aztecs, when a warrior died in battle, his widow had to perform sexual favors for other men before she joined her husband in the underworld.
Sigmund Freud suggested that the fear of castration leads to the creation of sexual urges. According to him, humans have an unconscious desire to reproduce, so we find pleasure in physical intimacy.
Because our bodies are mortal, we know that eventually, we will lose the ability to procreate. Therefore, sex becomes a way to defy death by creating something that outlives us. Freud's theory can explain why many people seek to have children or engage in long-term relationships. These actions represent a sort of immortality through the offspring or partner.
Some scientists believe that knowledge of mortality makes sex more enjoyable. A study conducted at UCLA found that participants who were reminded of their mortality enjoyed sexual encounters more than those who were not reminded. The researchers hypothesize that this is because knowing you might die soon makes you focus on what matters most in life, including love and pleasure. Another experiment showed that thinking about one's own death increased arousal in women but decreased it in men. It suggests that women may use sex as a way to distract themselves from thoughts of death, while men may view it as a risk-taking behavior with no consequences.
There is a complex relationship between death and sexuality. Some see them as opposing forces, while others see them as intertwined.
Whatever your belief, one thing is clear - knowing that death is inevitable heightens sexual yearning for some people, leading to deeper connections with partners.
How does knowledge of mortality heighten sexual yearning or reframe its meaning entirely?
The idea that humans are mortal has been a constant reminder for them to make the most out of their lives while they can still do so. This is especially true when it comes to sex and intimacy, which are often considered as pleasures that one should indulge in while they're alive. Knowledge of mortality has heightened sexual yearning among people because it encourages them to explore all possibilities before death takes away any opportunities to enjoy these pleasures.