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On Getting Off: sex and philosophy
The curious reader’s companion to sex.
‘Wit, you know, is the unexpected copulation of ideas.’ Samuel Johnson
Why is screwing so funny?
How should we think about our most shocking fantasies?
What is so captivating about nudity?
Inspired by philosophy, literature, and private life, Damon Young explores the paradoxes of the bedroom. On Getting Off will f**k with your mind.
‘Wit, you know, is the unexpected copulation of ideas.’ Samuel Johnson
Why is screwing so funny?
How should we think about our most shocking fantasies?
What is so captivating about nudity?
Inspired by philosophy, literature, and private life, Damon Young explores the paradoxes of the bedroom. On Getting Off will f**k with your mind.
288 pages, Hardcover
Published February 10, 2021
19 people are currently reading
135 people want to read
About the author
Damon Young
18 books83 followersI'm a philosopher and writer. I'm the author of several popular nonfiction books, published in Australia and overseas in English and translation into twelve languages.
My books include Distraction (2008), Philosophy in the Garden (2013), How to Think About Exercise (2014), The Art of Reading (2016), and On Getting Off: Philosophy and Sex (2020). I've written for outlets including The Age, The Australian, The Guardian, the ABC and BBC, and I'm a regular radio guest.
I have also published poetry, short fiction and six children’s picture books: My Nanna is a Ninja (2014), My Pop is a Pirate (2015), My Sister is a Superhero (2016), My Brother is a Beast (2017), My Mum is a Magician (2018), My Dad is a Dragon (2019).
You can also find me on Twitter and Instagram as @damonayoung.
My books include Distraction (2008), Philosophy in the Garden (2013), How to Think About Exercise (2014), The Art of Reading (2016), and On Getting Off: Philosophy and Sex (2020). I've written for outlets including The Age, The Australian, The Guardian, the ABC and BBC, and I'm a regular radio guest.
I have also published poetry, short fiction and six children’s picture books: My Nanna is a Ninja (2014), My Pop is a Pirate (2015), My Sister is a Superhero (2016), My Brother is a Beast (2017), My Mum is a Magician (2018), My Dad is a Dragon (2019).
You can also find me on Twitter and Instagram as @damonayoung.
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Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews
December 21, 2020
As I wrote in my review of this for the Saturday Paper, 'The author’s greatest accomplishment is to reveal the eroticism of philosophy itself: as he puts it, we think “through the same flesh we fuck with”.' Original and fabulously, um, stimulating.
April 19, 2021
Interesting read.
I did skip some parts of this book, purely because I'm not the biggest fan on constant referral to other people's work instead of the author's own thoughts.
Massive list of sources in the bibliography to each essay section though, which may be helpful for others who write on this topic.
I did skip some parts of this book, purely because I'm not the biggest fan on constant referral to other people's work instead of the author's own thoughts.
Massive list of sources in the bibliography to each essay section though, which may be helpful for others who write on this topic.
Read
February 18, 2021A spicy examination of the frequently ambivalent, ambiguous and even incongruous ‘tangle’ of eros, libido and romance that we call sex.
Linda Jaivin, The Saturday Paper
Drawing on personal experience, literature, myth, art and philosophy, Young examines how the fragile tension crucial to sexual arousal is akin to a narrative, the way sex highlights the impossibility of knowing another’s pleasure, and how nakedness offers not so much a revelation of someone’s ‘true self’ as an invitation to learn more about that person.
Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald
Young has a deftness with language that lays out complex ideas with such beautifully written digestibility that you feel osmotically clever when you read them.
The Irish Times
A beautiful piece of work. It’s funny. It’s human. It really does make you think about something that’s either put on a pedestal or relegated to the toilet. A triumph.
Krissy Kneen, author of Triptych
Covering everything from ‘what makes sex funny?’ to nakedness through the writing of Zadie Smith and Deborah Levy, it’s a book we could all do with reading.
Stylist
Linda Jaivin, The Saturday Paper
Drawing on personal experience, literature, myth, art and philosophy, Young examines how the fragile tension crucial to sexual arousal is akin to a narrative, the way sex highlights the impossibility of knowing another’s pleasure, and how nakedness offers not so much a revelation of someone’s ‘true self’ as an invitation to learn more about that person.
Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald
Young has a deftness with language that lays out complex ideas with such beautifully written digestibility that you feel osmotically clever when you read them.
The Irish Times
A beautiful piece of work. It’s funny. It’s human. It really does make you think about something that’s either put on a pedestal or relegated to the toilet. A triumph.
Krissy Kneen, author of Triptych
Covering everything from ‘what makes sex funny?’ to nakedness through the writing of Zadie Smith and Deborah Levy, it’s a book we could all do with reading.
Stylist
January 16, 2021
Sex and Philosophy - two things that I've never read in the same book before but now I'm wondering why! A witty, open-minded exploration into our global fascination and embarassments surrounding sex and eroticism. This book was utterly fabulous and yes, there were some uncomfortable moments but then Young would sit and make you think about why on earth you're uncomfortable about something so naturally fun. This book will most definitely f*ck with your mind.
December 28, 2020
As subtle and nuanced as the smoothest of seductions, radically open-minded and deeply humane in its understanding of the lives of others, rigorous in its lack of judgement, fabulously eclectic in its sources, and just huge amounts of fun and sexy as all fuck. Do your mind’s sex life a favour and read this book.
October 1, 2021
Found myself re reading some chapters because they were so well researched and perfectly resonated with me, but I found myself skipping or skimming other chapters in which the content was a tad graphic or I was overwhelmed with the constant referencing to others works
Still a very very good read that I will recommend
Still a very very good read that I will recommend
Read
August 19, 2021A spicy examination of the frequently ambivalent, ambiguous and even incongruous ‘tangle’ of eros, libido and romance that we call sex.
Linda Jaivin, The Saturday Paper
Drawing on personal experience, literature, myth, art and philosophy, Young examines how the fragile tension crucial to sexual arousal is akin to a narrative, the way sex highlights the impossibility of knowing another’s pleasure, and how nakedness offers not so much a revelation of someone’s ‘true self’ as an invitation to learn more about that person.
Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald
Young has a deftness with language that lays out complex ideas with such beautifully written digestibility that you feel osmotically clever when you read them.
The Irish Times
A beautiful piece of work. It’s funny. It’s human. It really does make you think about something that’s either put on a pedestal or relegated to the toilet. A triumph.
Krissy Kneen, author of Triptych
Covering everything from ‘what makes sex funny?’ to nakedness through the writing of Zadie Smith and Deborah Levy, it’s a book we could all do with reading.
Stylist
In his pursuit to exorcise guilt and temper false expectations, Young takes the position of a kind of “anti-Freud”, a psychologist who says calm down, there is more in your mind than just “cocks and pussies”.
Trouw
Sex deserves reflection, Young argues, and with this book he wants to explore its intellectual meaning.
NRC
Possibly the best thing he’s done yet: brave, certainly, but also wise, assured, gorgeously written and deftly wide-ranging in ideas and sources.
Patrick Stokes, author of Digital Souls
I love it. I am very much entertained and interested. Riveting.
Ginger Gorman, author of Troll Hunting
Very interesting, and very delicately and precisely written.
Guy Windsor
Linda Jaivin, The Saturday Paper
Drawing on personal experience, literature, myth, art and philosophy, Young examines how the fragile tension crucial to sexual arousal is akin to a narrative, the way sex highlights the impossibility of knowing another’s pleasure, and how nakedness offers not so much a revelation of someone’s ‘true self’ as an invitation to learn more about that person.
Fiona Capp, Sydney Morning Herald
Young has a deftness with language that lays out complex ideas with such beautifully written digestibility that you feel osmotically clever when you read them.
The Irish Times
A beautiful piece of work. It’s funny. It’s human. It really does make you think about something that’s either put on a pedestal or relegated to the toilet. A triumph.
Krissy Kneen, author of Triptych
Covering everything from ‘what makes sex funny?’ to nakedness through the writing of Zadie Smith and Deborah Levy, it’s a book we could all do with reading.
Stylist
In his pursuit to exorcise guilt and temper false expectations, Young takes the position of a kind of “anti-Freud”, a psychologist who says calm down, there is more in your mind than just “cocks and pussies”.
Trouw
Sex deserves reflection, Young argues, and with this book he wants to explore its intellectual meaning.
NRC
Possibly the best thing he’s done yet: brave, certainly, but also wise, assured, gorgeously written and deftly wide-ranging in ideas and sources.
Patrick Stokes, author of Digital Souls
I love it. I am very much entertained and interested. Riveting.
Ginger Gorman, author of Troll Hunting
Very interesting, and very delicately and precisely written.
Guy Windsor
Displaying 1 - 7 of 7 reviews