After a few weeks, it became obvious that the campaign was a real success: the prophet’s fiancées’ tour was a triumph, and, in their cells, the followers strove to reproduce the erotic configurations thrown down on paper by Vincent; they took real pleasure in it, to such a point that, in most countries, the frequency of meetings had multiplied threefold; the ritual orgy therefore, unlike other sexual propositions of more profane and recent origin, such as swinging, would appear not to be an outdated formula. More significantly still, conversations between followers in everyday life, as soon as they had established a minimum of empathy, were accompanied more and more often by touching, intimate caresses, if not mutual masturbation; the resexualization of human relations, in short, seemed to have been achieved.

From “The Possibility of an Island” by Michel Houellebecq

With brilliant prose, French author Michel Houellebecq challenges us to regard life as it is and forecast how our society will soon view human sexuality: “in everyday life, as soon as they had established a minimum of empathy, were accompanied more and more often by touching, intimate caresses, if not mutual masturbation; the resexualization of human relations, in short, seemed to have been achieved.”

Will our grandchildren pursue this path of gradual denigration of morality? Or will they achieve a more advanced society where sexual freedom blossoms along with respect to human dignity?