Sex In Fiction

"There’s less sex I think maybe in literary fiction than there was 30 years ago. Freud says very wisely that the tide of libido—I’m misquoting—libido needs some obstacle for it to rise to its fullest height. In a purely non-puritan world, a world without sexual obstructions—in the 60s we were pretty close to it—but paradoxically, the more easily sex can be had the less desire there is. The less potency there seems to be. Society itself, to conserve its potency, imposes certain taboos. We’re in a phase at the moment where we don’t really want to hear much more about sex. It’s amazing the way the ads, for whatever the product—beer or perfume or cars—they all are verging on pornography now."

- From a long, interesting interview with John Updike