The Decay of American Culture? Pitirim Sorokin's View on the Relevance of the Sex Revolution

Abstract

The undeniable shift in American culture over last decades, regarding the values and self-identity of its citizens, has been a subject of extensive inquiries. While there have been studies of many problematic developments, such as the erosion of social capital or the rise of narcissism, not much attention has been dedicated to the meta-perspective of the ongoing transformation and self-destructive mechanisms of modern social and cultural agendas. Pitirim Sorokin has pointed out the importance of a dominant attitude towards sex, which virtually predestines the future of a given society. Conservative in its outlook, his view is worth taking into consideration, especially due to its references to the historical data of past civilizations. This perspective is especially relevant for the modern cultural and scientific paradigm, which regards contestation of sexual expansion as unjustified and even illegitimate. Sorokin’s perspective on “sexual anarchy” might prove to be a valid one in regard to Western civilization.

Keywords

• Pitirim Sorokin
• sexual revolution
• sexual anarchy
• cultural decadence