What Is Copulism

Copulism is a moral philosophy / political doctrine that proposes maximizing the conditions under which people will make love with one another. Not in the sense of copulation or reproduction, but in the sense of consensual generosity. See ProgressCausesLove to be precise.

There probably isn't a BetterNameForCopulism.

Now ... what are those conditions?

To begin, how about FDR's famous FourFreedoms? 60 years later, have we entirely forgotten FDR's vision?
- These sound nice but they're really cheating the distinction. What we need to do is think for a change. If you want to maximize the conditions under which people will express consensual generosity, start by thinking about what those conditions are for those people who do it today. What are the necessary conditions for, say, a good party, or a romantic dinner? If you could scale such conditions, maybe you'd have something.
WithFreedomComesResponsibility?
- Okay, that one's definitely necessary for a party or dinner ... or should that be WithPowerComesResponsibility??
The PrimeDirective?
- Um, how come?
ThereMustBeFood
- And shelter, medicine, books ...
EveryoneHasTheSameJob
- Presumably being to maximize conditions under which people will make love with one another ...

Historically, many countries have attempted to ban non-procreative sex (by calling it a "perversion"), along with banning contraceptives, or divorces (except, of course, on the grounds of infertility). Countries generally pursue these goals, under a cloak of "defending public morals", because they are trying to raise lots of cannon fodder to send off to the next dumb war.

Read Tuf Voyaging by (IIRC) George R. R. Martin, to learn of the mighty "Church of Life Evolving", a de facto state church that practiced generative copulism. -- PhlIp

Sir James George Fraser's GoldenBough classifies religions broadly as Dionysian - meaning promoting hedonism - and Apollonian - meaning promoting celibacy. Neither should be confused with the political doctrine of copulism, which can easily accommodate both. -- PeterMerel

Copulism is the antithesis of Terrorism. The terrorists have taught us how to be exactly unlike them. Oh my goodness, they are the government we're looking for. How embarrassing.

How can government shoulder the burden of creating the right environment for togetherness? How about subsidizing massage? The test of any decision should be the massage test: If, after a good rousing body massage, you would make the same decision, then the decision was good. Air strikes against Afghanistan targets? Let's see, order up some massages all around, we'll get back to you on that one.

Anecdote, third hand, from the Netherlands: A poor guy, depressed & with sore rocks, approached his welfare committee with his complaint, and received a coupon good for one free encounter with a sex industry worker.

Quite the problem-solving attitude we could see from more governments!

I like this copulism thing. I even get a buzz from the name. I see one fatal flaw, however. But it's not a flaw we haven't seen before. It comes from the phrase "holds government responsible". How would we do that? Let's say we discover a ghetto in which conditions don't favor pair-giggling, particularly. We seek out the government of local jurisdiction (can you have jurisdiction and a giggling populace all at the same time?), we storm lovingly into the offices of the head honchos (can you have honchos in an environment of pure honey and cane syrup?), and we subject them to...what? Severe finger unpointing? Do we regale them with the winds of our batting eyelashes? Punish them all over with kisses? HOW?

-- WaldenMathews

How ... heck, I only just figured out what, give me a minute :-) Actually I've been working on how for quite a while - them that remember what I was on about when I first turned up on c2 might have an inkling. But I don't want to spoil anyone else's opportunity to think about how just yet. And I haven't finished connecting things up, myself. For now all I can do is quote the I Ching again: The best way to fight evil is to make energetic progress in the good.

"it is in their interest to shower an evil doer with so much love they are unable to carry out an evil deed." -- http://floobydust.com/time.txt

"On the contrary: "If your enemy is hungry, feed him; if he is thirsty, give him something to drink. In doing this, you will heap burning coals on his head." Romans 12:20 -- BrucePennington

Or perhaps I can do like Lennon and say copulism exists ... if you want it. We are a copulist government if we take full responsibility for ourselves. You can have anything you want, at AlicesRestaurant. -- PeterMerel

Take your missus down to the getto and, together, help them with the building and decorating? ProgressCausesLove, like you said.

http://songweaver.com/info/bonobos.html ;)