Oscar Wilde? Michael Cunningham? Robert Klitzman? Robert Michels? Frank Underwood? Kevin Spacey? Apocryphal? Anonymous?
Dear Quote Investigator: While reading in regards to the precipitous downfall of a influential tastemaker that is literary powerbroker at The Paris Review we encountered once more a remark related to Oscar Wilde. Listed here are three variations:
- All things are about intercourse except intercourse. Intercourse is all about energy.
- All things are about intercourse, except intercourse, which will be about energy.
- Every thing into the global globe is all about sex, except intercourse. Sex is approximately energy.
The Wilde ascription is normally labeled apocryphal. Just exactly just What you think?
Quote Investigator: QI has discovered no evidence that is substantive Oscar Wilde wrote or said this remark. It isn’t placed in the compendium that is valuable Wit & Wisdom of Oscar Wilde assembled by quotation specialist Ralph Keyes. 1
The close match that is earliest positioned by QI starred in the Provincetown Arts journal of 1995. Writer Michael Cunningham employed the word during an meeting carried out by other writer Paul Lisicky. Cunningham is currently most widely known for the Pulitzer Prize-winning novel The Hours. Emphasis included with excerpts by QI: 2
If youre writing in what individuals do in order to in accordance with the other person, it is kind of crazy to go out of sex away. I believe Oscar Wilde stated, Everything in individual life is actually about intercourse, except intercourse. Intercourse is approximately energy. And I also think hes got something here.
Cunningham disclaimed coinage and offered an attribution which was both tentative and implausible. Thus, the old saying stays anonymous.
Listed here are extra selected citations in chronological purchase.
A statement that is variant violence starred in a guide posted in identical 12 months because the citation above. The chronology that is precise uncertain because Provincetown Arts had been posted in July, nevertheless the 1995 guide would not specify per month. In a residence of Plano TX escort girls aspirations and Glass: learning to be a Psychiatrist by Robert Klitzman M.D. included a discussion during which a colleague warned Klitzman any particular one of their brand new clients might make an effort to seduce him. Emphasis included with excerpts by QI: 3
Shes likely to make an effort to connect on to you personally and also to get using your epidermis. We when had a manager whom utilized to express that Everything in treatment is actually about intercourse except intercourse, that will be about aggression. We smiled but had been puzzled. I really couldnt inform exactly just exactly how wholeheartedly this proposition was accepted by him.
This remark employed the expression everything in treatment as opposed to everything within the world. Additionally, aggression occurred rather than power. Yet, the comment fit the template that is same. The attribution had been anonymous, i.e., a supervisor that is unidentified credit.
In 1997 The chatting Cure by Susan C. Vaughan printed a variant that is intermediate. The word that is restrictive had been fallen. Nonetheless, the adage also used aggression rather of power: 4
Certainly, the significance with which intercourse and violence are regarded as motivators of individual behavior by psychoanalysts is captured by the saying, Everything is all about sex, except intercourse, which can be about violence.
In 1998 Vaughan utilized the same variation within a guide in regards to the male-potency medication Viagra: 5
Once the old analytic laugh goes, Everything is approximately intercourse except intercourse, that will be about violence. But Im gambling that intercourse is mostly about intercourse, too.
In 2002 the collection Constructing and Womans that is deconstructing Power included an article titled Looking at women: just what do men see? by Robert Alan Glick including the immediate following: 6
Summarizing Freud and all sorts of of psychoanalysis many succinctly, Robert Michels (personal interaction) wryly recommended: Everything is mostly about intercourse, except intercourse: intercourse is approximately energy. To which he included: Sometimes intercourse is simply about intercourse!
The smoothness Francis Underwood played by Kevin Spacey into the television series House of Cards utilized the old saying during the season that is first 2013: 7
The United states House of Cards contains signature that is comparableFrank Underwoods Power is like property. It is exactly about location, location, location. The closer you are to your supply, the greater your home value; Democracy is overrated; A great guy when stated, all things are about intercourse. Except intercourse. Intercourse is all about energy.
In summary, the ascription to Oscar Wilde is apocryphal. Writer Michael Cunningham utilized the word by 1995, but he disclaimed credit. Additionally in 1995 psychiatrist Robert Klitzman employed a remark that is thematically similar violence while disclaiming credit. One of these simple expressions could have developed to the other even though the chronology isn’t clear. This short article presents a snapshot of present knowledge and future discoveries might provide further lighting.
(Great by way of Karin Kross Levenstein, Helena Aman, and Pascal-Emmanuel Gobry whose inquiries led QI to formulate this question and perform this research. Many Thanks additionally the requester whom desires to keep anonymous.)
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