It was Immanuel Kant who proposed that taboos, and thus personality and identity, could be liberated by Aufklarung, or "Enlightenment". Kant would argue that taboos are nothing more than self-imposed immaturity, resulting not first from a lack of cognitive abilities or understanding, but from a lack of the moral courage to exercise one's own thinking, reason, and wisdom independently from the influence of others.
Kant describes the fully developed and mature person as being autonomous, or independent from the thoughts, dogmas, and prohibitions of others. The dependent person is subject to the dictates of authoritarian structures of family, religion, and governmental institutions.
Kant's arguments are intriguing, and of course depend in no small measure on whether or not one demonstrates taboos and institutions to be entirely subjective in nature, or possessing objective truth. Kant's thesis of Aufklarung would say the only way to overcome the restraints of these authoritarian structures is to have the courage to be autonomous, and to think for oneself.
There no doubt exists positive benefit in thinking for oneself, especially if injunctions and drivers gained during early childhood development resulted in a sexual identity that is harmful or frustrating to healthy relationships. On the other hand, since Aufklarung and its strong emphasis on autonomy places the center of moral philosophy in the individual, it may be helpful to consider the damage inflicted by those who have no cognizance of the value and vulnerability of others.
Our vulnerability as beings with sexual identity makes it hard to dance with those who could shatter that fragile identity. But the music compels us to step on the floor and ponder if, "she loves me, or she loves me not".
(continued part I)
Footnote:
Transactional Analysis was founded in the 1950’s by Eric Berne. Transactional Analysis has turned into a world-wide movement boasting some 10 000 adherents. It's a sophisticated theory associated with personality, motivation and problem solving which may be of useful purpose to psychotherapists, advisors, educators and company consultants.
