is fascism sexy?

[Alighieri]

Originally Posted by craig johnston

it's one of those areas where two things that i strongly believe in
come into conflict, ie a revulsion for fascism and a commitment to
sexual freedom.
i'm also interested in understanding why people find something so
nauseous exciting.
and, i must admit, i have a sneaking suspicion that there are those
who use it as a way of acceptably living out their political as well as
sexual fantasies.

otherwise, you're right, it's pretty boring.

To address your interest in human arousal and taboo, the body chemically sees fear (an extreme form of revulsion) and arousal very similarly. Both produce endorphins and adrenaline, the interpretation of those chemicals by the brain produces a contextual reaction based on past experience. That is why when some people get really nervous about public speaking they get "butterflies" in their stomach, or when they are first "in love" they also have a similar reaction. With taboos, there are societal rules that create an attraction/replusion for an object or act. Those that find a particular taboo exciting simply do not interpret the taboo the same as someone else would. Taboos also change with time (and cultures), as they become less taboo and more mainstream, the reaction/repulsion response diminishes.

Cheers,

Alighieri