Cases Quote by Malcolm Muggeridge
“Its avowed purpose is to excite sexual desire, which, I should have thought, is unnecessary in the case of the young, inconvenient in the case of the middle aged, and unseemly in the old.”
About This Quote
Source Essay: The Meaning of Sex, 1964
Sexual desire is portrayed as unnecessary for youth, inconvenient for middle age, and inappropriate for the elderly, highlighting societal double standards.
In simple terms: Desire is seen as unnecessary or improper at certain ages.
Key Takeaway
Question how age norms shape sexual expectations.
Themes
society
sexuality
age
norms
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
analytical
commentary
When to use this quote
- relationships
- health counseling
- media representation
Key Concepts
double standards
desire
social expectations
Questions to Reflect On
- How do cultural attitudes affect sexual expression across ages?
- Are these norms based on biology or social constructs?
A Different Perspective
Age‑based judgments can limit personal fulfillment.
![“I occasionally feel contempt for that attitude [degree of sexual desire towards me] when I perceive it, but maybe that's not fair. By our culture we've been taught who is most valued and who is not.” quote by Cris Mazza](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/b3c/cris-mazza-31701_attitude_i-occasionally-feel-contempt-for-that-at_489276.jpg)
![“[A]ll gastronomic pleasure [is] a co-opted form of sexual desire. We interrupt the organic process of a plant or animal in order to eat it and we exhaust our own voluptuousness, our own perverted sexual desire, in the pleasure of eating.” quote by Luis Fernando Veríssimo](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/139/luis-fernando-verissimo-44133_desire_a-ll-gastronomic-pleasure-is-a-co-opted_267212.jpg)
![“[As in the case of] alcohol prohibition, illegality has driven organized crime, sent countless people to jail, and killed many thousands. Repression does not work.” quote by Sam Branson](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/img-quotes/212/sam-branson-36458_alcohol_as-in-the-case-of-alcohol-prohibition-il_8703.jpg)
