Has it ever happened in your life that a smart, but outwardly not particularly beautiful person caused you sexual arousal? If so, then you are a potential sapiosexual. This is quite common in our time. For sapiosexuals, the brain is the most exciting organ. They get a lot more pleasure from highly intelligent conversations than from sex. It is enough for sapioosexuals to contemplate the “radiance of pure mind” of their partner, to observe the work of his mind. At the same time, appearance does not play a special role.
What does sapiosexual mean?
The term “sapiosexual” appeared in the second half of the 20th century. It was introduced by Marianne Evelyn Faithfull, the famous British pop singer and actress. This smart, highly educated woman is a descendant of the Habsburg dynasty on the maternal side. As a child, she attended a Catholic school for girls.
It is noteworthy that her cousin is the writer Leopold von Sacher-Masoch. In his works there is often an image of an oppressive woman who scoffs at a weak man. So often that the psychologist Richard von Kraft-Ebing called the corresponding sexual pathology “masochism”, as if hinting that the writer himself suffered from this disorder.
But back to the term “sapiosexual”. The meaning of this word can be determined by translating the two foundations of which it consists. This is sapio - “to be rational”; sexus - "gender". That is, sapiosexual is a person who is sexually attracted to an intellectually developed partner.
Causes of sapiosexuality according to Freud
Sigmund Freud believed that sapiosexuality arises at the phallic stage of the formation of psychosexuality in a child. At this stage, parents are ideal for children. For girls, the father is the strongest and most intelligent of all men, and for boys, the mother becomes a model of beauty, virtue and judgment. At this time, love for parents of the opposite sex is born. When children become adults, boys subconsciously look for a life partner, reminiscent of a mother, and girls - a father.
According to Freud, the phenomenon of sapiosexuality is far from harmless. If parents behave incorrectly in this situation: they will manipulate the feelings of children, try to bind them even more to themselves - this can affect the child’s personal life in the future very negatively. Boys may develop a stable Oedipus complex, and girls will suffer from the formed Electra syndrome.
Sapiosexuality in modern psychology
Nobody is going to belittle the merits of old Freud, but everyone knows about his ability to dramatize. Modern psychology refers to the phenomenon of sapiosexuality more loyally. Psychologists believe that sexual attraction to intellectually developed people is a completely natural phenomenon.
Sapiosexual is the next step in the development of mankind. After all, the further the scientific and technological revolution advances, the more difficult it is for people with mediocre mental abilities. Thus, psychologists identify two main factors that justify the spread of sapiosexuality.
The biological factor of sapiosexuality
“You need to work not for 12 hours, but with your head,” said the legendary Steve Jobs. And in this he is certainly right. As practice shows, hard physical labor rarely brings wealth, while with the help of extraordinary mental abilities you can secure a prosperous future.
The modern sapiosexual girl prefers smart men because she subconsciously searches for a worthy candidate for the role of the father of her children. The modern male does not need to have developed muscles to fill up the mammoth. It is much more important to be smart enough to provide for your family.
The psychological factor of sapiosexuality
Women by nature are looking for a prince on a white horse. And, as you know, the stocks of princes in the world are limited, and each person you meet cannot be royal blood. Earlier, the main characteristic of the prince was beauty, since men did not care too much about their appearance. Today, almost every representative of the stronger sex is stylishly dressed, has a fashionable hairstyle, a neatly trimmed beard, well-developed muscles. Why not a prince? However, this is not enough for modern girls. Now give them a high level of IQ, not an iron press and immense biceps.
The guys are also not far behind. A beautiful, well-groomed girl is now not uncommon. In addition, plastic surgery works wonders, and now each representative of the fair sex has the opportunity to adjust her appearance. Guys are already not interested in beautiful dummies. They need something to talk with the girl, so that it is interesting to her.
Where did the nerd fashion come from
Every year there are more and more people who consider intelligence the sexiest trait. But this does not mean at all that sapiosexuals did not exist before. Not the last role in this was played by literature and television.
Sapiosexual - who is this? This is a girl who is crazy about Sherlock Holmes, who is not distinguished by either a beautiful body, or a courageous appearance, or a good character, but having a powerful intellect. When he brilliantly reveals crimes using his deductive method, it seems that there is no sexier man in the whole world.
Even in the USSR, where sex did not seem to exist, the image of a nondescript, but clever bespectacled man excited the imagination of Soviet women. Remember Shurik from the immortal comedies of Leonid Gaidai “Operation Y”, “Prisoner of the Caucasus” and “Ivan Vasilyevich Changing the Profession”.
Sapiosexuals in modern society
Today sapiosexuality is in demand more than ever. If twenty years ago, girls sought to marry oligarchs, now they are more attracted to programmers. Being smart is now more profitable than just being rich. A person who understands innovative technologies or investments in the modern world will easily succeed. At the same time, a wealthy heir, thoughtlessly managing capital, can easily lose all his inheritance and ultimately remain with nothing.
Today, ultra-sapiosexual is not a pathology, but a natural step in the development of mankind. Boys and girls strive to connect their lives with a smart partner. For them, not physical proximity is much more important, but the ability to conduct interesting conversations, exchange information, and constantly learn something new.
Sapiosexuality in The Big Bang Theory
The American television series, beloved by millions around the world, has clearly demonstrated that a person with a not so pleasant character, a very ordinary appearance and a huge set of eccentricities can cause sympathy solely thanks to his developed intellect. These are the main characters of the series - Sheldon Cooper and Leonard Hovsteder. When watching the first episodes, these guys are usually annoying and seem funny. But very soon you will feel sympathy for them and begin to understand the heroines of the series, who fall in love with plain-looking “nerds” without memory.
The sitcom provides an exhaustive answer to the question: "who is sapiosexual?" One need only recall what a disappointment for millions of fans of Theory was the revelation of actor James Parsons, who played the role of Sheldon, in that he is an adherent of non-traditional sexual orientation. This case can easily be regarded as a kind of scientific experiment, according to the results of which it became clear that sapiosexuality is inherent in a huge number of girls from around the world.