“Sex is the mysticism of a materialist.”
What this quote means
Updike's striking formula compares sex to a transcendent experience for those who believe only in the material world. Where the mystic seeks union with the divine, the materialist finds in sex an escape from the mundane, a fusion of bodies that goes beyond mere biology. This resonates because many seek meaning in intense physical experiences, revealing our need to go beyond the tangible.
How to apply it daily
Reflect on what gives you a sense of self-transcendence and seek to experience it more consciously and respectfully.
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