My reaction to porno films is as follows: After the first ten minutes, I want to go home and screw. After the first twenty minutes, I never want to screw again as long as I live.
Erica JongRead
Isn't that the problem? That women have been swindled for centuries into substituting adornment for love, fashion (as it were) for passion?
Interpretation
What this quote means
The quote critiques how women have historically equated superficial beauty with genuine affection.
Erica Jong's quote highlights the societal issue of women being misled into believing that physical adornment and fashion can replace true love and emotional connection. This statement points to a deeper critique of cultural norms that place undue emphasis on external appearances rather than the authenticity of romantic relationships. Jong suggests that this pattern has persisted over centuries, leading to a misunderstanding of love's true essence.
Themes
WomenLoveFashionAdornmentPassionRelationships
In practice
Example use cases
This quote is perfect for a discussion on gender roles in a class about sociology.
More from Erica Jong
All quotes →I have accepted fear as a part of life - specifically the fear of change... I have gone ahead despite the pounding in the heart that says: turn back.
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No one ever found wisdom without also being a fool. Writers, alas, have to be fools in public, while the rest of the human race can cover its tracks.
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My generation was not only maligned in book reviews and attacked in graduate school but we lived to see our adored and adorable daughters wonder why feminism had become a dirty word.
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Do you want me to tell you something really subversive? Love is everything it's cracked up to be. That's why people are so cynical about it. It really is worth fighting for, being brave for, risking everything for. And the trouble is, if you don't risk anything, you risk even more.
Erica JongRead
I believe that women should live for love, for motherhood and for intellect, and I believe we shouldn't have to choose. And I believe that's always been difficult for women, to express themselves intellectually, maternally, and passionately.
Erica JongRead
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