The age of lust!

Lust is an emotion or feeling of intense desire in the body. It can take any form. So, we have the lust for sex and the lust for knowledge or power. On the other hand, it can take mundane forms such as lust for certain food items as distinct from the need for them. Psychologists view lust as a powerful force producing intense desire for an object or circumstances fulfilling the emotion.

Lust is at the bottom of many crimes committed today. Certain families have been eliminated because of someone’s lust for land. Many innocent children have been either killed or maimed because the perpetrators had been driven by the lust for sex. Some people who contest elections try to harm their rivals physically because of the lust for power.

The lust for sex is as old as the hills. The sense of strong sexual desire was first seen in Biblical use way back in the 16th century. The New Testament uses the word ‘covet’ for ‘lust.’ It says, “You shall not covet your neighbour’s house or his field or his ox or his draft animal or whatever belongs to your neighbour.” (Exodus) Accordingly, sin does not begin with adultery, but from the moment a man covets his neighbour’s wife.

Disordered desire

Catholicism considers lust as a disordered desire for sexual pleasure. It does not mean that sexual desire is something bad. When sexual desire is disordered and self seeking, it becomes lust. According to Roman Catholicism lust is one of the seven deadly sins.

Alexander Pope treated rape in literature in a novel way

The Bhagavad Gita says that lust is one of the gates to hell. Even in Islam, intentional lascivious glances are forbidden because they are the first step towards adultery - rape and other sexual offences. Judaism too includes all evil inclinations and lust of the flesh in what is known as “Yetzer Hara” which is often identified with Satan. In Sikkhism, lust is counted among the five cardinal sins. According to Brahma Kumaris, a spiritual organisation based on Hindu philosophy, the lust for sex is the greatest enemy of mankind.

Philosophers have interpreted lust in different ways. For instance, Schopenhauer sees misery resulting from unethical sexual relationships. According to him, sentiments of shame and sadness tend to follow the act of unethical sexual intercourse.

Despite all the teachings in religion, some people are overwhelmed by the lust for sex. It may be that a person’s upbringing plays a major role in his character formation. Usually, a person who has had a religious background is unlikely to commit rape or other sex-related offences. He will always be guided by his conscience or his inner voice.

Rape of the Lock

Rape in literature is treated in different ways. For instance, Alexander Pope’s The Rape of the Lock is a mock-heroic narrative poem which is not about a rape of a woman. In this classic work, a character known as Petre is lusting after Arabella. Instead of raping her, he cuts off a lock of her hair without permission. The minor incident creates a breach between two families. Alexander Pope wrote The Rape of the Lock in an attempt to “comically merge the two parties”. Pope’s fictional character Belinda still remains an immortal figure in English literature.

Although the poem is humorous at times, Alexander Pope maintains that beauty is fragile and the loss of a lock of hair touches Belinda deeply. Women in that period were essentially supposed to be decorative rather than rational and the loss of beauty was a serious matter. The whole poem is a satire on the contemporary society which showcases the lifestyle led by the people of that age. It is ironic that Pope himself was a part of that society. Belinda’s legitimate rage is finally alleviated and tempered by her good humour.

The scenario in the modern world is quite different. Very often a beautiful young girl is ravished very much against her wishes. The rapist is not bothered about her locks of hair or other attributes. Today’s rapist is a devil incarnate. He simply wants to satisfy his carnal desires. Should we hang such rapists is a matter for the law enforcement authorities.

Definition

Although the New Merriam Webster Dictionary defines lust as ‘sexual desire often to an intense or unrestrained degree,” by extension we can include lust for knowledge which is something desirable.

We go to universities, pursue higher studies and read books and newspapers because of our lust for knowledge. However, the trouble begins when we direct our lust for sex or power.

In the Five Precepts, the Buddha has included lust as something we should avoid. He was mainly referring to lust for sex and not lust for knowledge. As has been seen, a person who harbours lust for sex or power cannot find any support from any religion.

Although most of us can take a moral stand on lust for sex or power, what we learn from the media sometimes makes us think whether we are living in the Age of Lust!