Ross Benes - Turned On: A Mind-Blowing Investigation into How Sex Has Shaped Our World

Copyright 2017, 2018 by Ross Benes

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Originally published in 2017 as The Sex Effect by Sourcebooks, Inc.

Library of Congress Cataloging-in-Publication Data

Names: Benes, Ross, author.

Title: Turned on : a mind-blowing investigation into how sex has shaped our world / Ross Benes.

Description: Naperville : Sourcebooks, [2017] | Includes bibliographical references.

Identifiers: LCCN 2016032655 | (paperback : alk. paper)

Subjects: LCSH: Sex--History--21st century. | Sex customs. | Sex instruction. | Sex--Religious aspects--Catholic Church. | Religion and civil society.

Classification: LCC HQ21 .B436 2017 | DDC 306.7--dc23 LC record available at https://lccn.loc.gov/2016032655

For Eddie, the best damn friend a boy could ever have.

contents

Chapter 1
Whats Love Got to Do with It?: How Political Leaders Conditioned Westerners to Accept Monogamy as the Default

People began desiring a single spouse because of war, not love. While monogamy may be unnatural, its proved socially beneficial.

Chapter 2
All the Presidents Women: Breaking Down the Predictable Phenomena of Politician Sex Scandals

Rather than freak out, people should expect sex affairs from politicians, because sexual risk-taking reflects leadership traits that constituents desire.

Chapter 3
Tragedy of the Condoms: Why Western Biomedical Approaches Have Failed to Stop AIDS Epidemics in Africa

Condoms have reduced HIV transmission in concentrated epidemics among drug users, sex workers, and gay men. But they havent worked in African countries where entire populations are at risk. Here, condoms facilitate risky behavior, and Western organizations capitalize on hyperepidemics.

Chapter 4
Soldier Sex: How the U.S. Military Inadvertently Helped Form Our Concept of Gay Identity

The U.S. military has always had trouble dealing with sexparticularly gay sex. Through its sexual struggles and homophobic tendencies, the military inadvertently helped create a gay identity in America.

Chapter 5
There Goes the Gayborhood: An Investigation into the Economic Prowess of LGBT Districts

Because gay neighborhoods spur urban development, itd be wise for financially troubled cities like Detroit to boost their LGBT tolerance and visibility.

Chapter 6
The Power of Porn: A Look at How Erotica Shapes Our Technology and Everyday Lives

Because of porns taboo nature and potential political capital, its true correlation with crime and economic influence pass by undetected.

Chapter 7
Invisible Handjobs: Examining the Hidden Relationships between Governments, Markets, and Birthrates

Tampering with fertility rates can provide macroeconomic gains. However, too much governmental fertility intervention produces a wide range of unintended consequences.

Chapter 8
Sex, Drugs, and Corn Flakes: The Influence of Accidental Inventions on Sex and Commerce

Sexuality inspires accidental inventions. Corn Flakes and graham crackers were created with sex in mind. Vibrators and Viagra were not.

Chapter 9
The Clerical Closet: How the Catholic Church Incentivizes the Priesthood for Devout Gay Men

Priests respond to spiritual and sexual incentives just like everybody else. Thats why so many of them are gay.

Chapter 10
Sex Cells and Religious Pluralism: Examining the Interfaith Dependence of Muslim Women Seeking Reproductive Assistance

The wombs of Middle Eastern Muslim women demonstrate the necessity of religious pluralism.

foreword

The human sex drive is powerful and complicated, and it leads to all sorts of unintended consequences.

For instance, in the late twentieth century, Ron Benes and Sue Benes mated, which resulted in a baby named Ross Benes, who would grow up to be a talented journalist, and, much to their surprise, write a book about sex.

Sorry to bring your parents bedroom life into this, Ross.

But Im not sorry your parents procreated.

Ross produced a book that is fascinating and original. Its also wide-rangingRoss talks about the impact sex has had on everything from hipster neighborhoods to politics, from modern warfare to breakfast. (In case you didnt know, corn flakes were invented in the nineteenth century as a way to reduce teenage boys masturbation habits. They were spectacularly ineffective in that department, but they are still delicious.)

The book is also provocativeas any book on sex should be. You may not agree with all of Rosss conclusions (I took issue with a couple myself!), but you will absolutely enjoy the journey. If I were to pitch the book in an elevator, Id say its Freakonomics without pants. Then Id probably be escorted off the elevator by security.

One word of advice when reading this book: Dont skip the footnotes. Some of the most interesting information and insights can be found in Rosss small type. Noel Coward once said that having to read footnotes resembles having to go downstairs to answer the door while in the midst of making love. An appropriately carnal metaphor. But in this case, the trip downstairs is worth it. Your partner will be waiting for you when you return.

I first met Ross when he was working at Esquire magazine, where I was an editor. He was a fountain of ideas. He talked fast and read voraciously. And hes written some wonderful pieces both for Esquire and for other publications.

He wrote about his experience at a silent retreatwhich was a brave endeavor, since he is the most talkative person I know. He wrote about Scientology, which is also a brave endeavor, because the Scientologists harass journalists for even typing the word Scientology. He has also written about wrestling and his love for orange Hi-C.

But this book about sex is his most interesting work yet.

I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, if not as much as the act itself.