The Future of Seduction

by Mia Levitin

Where and who do we want to be? How might we get there? What might happen if we stay on our current course?

In The Future of Seduction , cultural and literary critic Mia Levitin explores the future of sex, asking powerful and necessary questions about the relationships of tomorrow.

This brief but mighty book is one of five that comprise the first set of FUTURES essays. Each standalone book presents the author's original vision of a singular aspect of the future which inspires in them hope or reticence, optimism or fear. Read individually, these essays will inform, entertain and challenge. Together, they form a picture of what might lie ahead, and ask the reader to imagine how we might make the transition from here to there, from now to then.

Genres: Sociology, Nonfiction

Paperback

First published November 12, 2020

Reviews

[Wanda Stuardo · Rating 3 out of 5]

interesting reading about how technologies are changing the way we feel affect and explore sexuality in contemporary times

[Sarah Pascarella · Rating 4 out of 5]

A short essay on today’s version of dating and how technology is killing seduction between lovers (and potential lovers.) I agree with every point this author made, especially as someone who rides the metro everyday, desperately trying to make eye contact with people off their phones to make the commute feel less robotic (there is usually very few people that don’t have their ears plugged with music or their face in their phones.)

Although it seemed like a “doom is here” essay, I do think this short book pushed me further down the road of quitting social media as a “content creator.” Mainly because I’ve noticed that, when people ONLY know me through this outlet, they fill in the gaps. Meaning, they think I am someone I am not. Then when I meet them in person, I feel a sense of disappointment, that I am not exactly what they imagined. This constant process becomes exhausting and hence why when I meet people “in the real world” (lol, wtf) I wait as long as possible to not give them my social media, because I want my impression to be between our connection, not just from the small pieces I choose to show online.

I could go on and on about this topic. I would like to bring back my blog (braintabsblog.com for those of you that don’t know my baby) just so I can talk about it more in depth.

This was a solid book. Moral of the story, stop texting the people you are interested in. SEE THEM IN PERSON. This is the only way to test true connection.

[Simon Howard · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is the fourth I’ve read in Tortoise Media’s five-book FUTURES series published last year, which is a modern day attempt to follow in the footsteps of the 1920s series of To-Day and To-Morrow essays.

Levitin’s 60-page essay concerns the future of seduction, though is really mostly about dating in the modern world. As Wendy and I have been together for the better part of 17 years, the world of dating apps has really passed both of us by. I remember learning the hard way that it had passed into the mainstream after making a comment to a colleague about it being “geeky” about a decade ago, only to hear that she had met her husband online.

All of which is to say... this book was an education. Whoever knew the difference between Bumble and Tinder? Who knew that most people just chat on these services? Who knew that “progressing to WhatsApp” was a stage of a relationship?

I’m not sure I really needed to know any of this, but it was eye-opening!

[CiCi · Rating 5 out of 5]

Excellent exploration of the world of dating today. While the author doesn't offer concrete predictions into the future of dating (which is probably a good idea), comfort can be found in the recognition that the 21st century singleton is not alone in feeling as if modernity has resulted in the cards being stacked against love.

[Gabby Humphreys · Rating 3 out of 5]

The future of seduction is one of five from a really cool series of little books called the futures series. I stumbled upon this in Daunt books without any knowledge of it, but as a fan of 1. Sex and 2. stressing about AI development I thought I’d better pick it up.

At 64 pages and in between A5 and A6 paper, this is a cute pocket book that stands out in a sea of inaccessible and daunting non-fictions. It was an easy read and one I really enjoyed flicking through on an evening. Nothing was mind blowing in terms of its content - it’s not aiming to blow your mind with facts, but instead explore the future of concepts around seduction that you’re familiar with.

Mia covered pleasure in everyday life, online dating, the tv show that is a British culture high; Naked Attraction, different types of relationships, differences in straight versus LGBTQ+ relationships, if too much dating choice is a bad thing for happiness. And breathe, there’s so much I’m literally 19 pages into the book here. Without going on for too long, some fave parts are addressing the orgasm gap between gender and sexuality, feminism and pursuing in a relationship and an incredible overview of different countries recommended regulations for sex during Covid.

If you want to read about one of these topics in depth, I don’t think this is for you. But, if you want a general coverage of all these topics mashed into one short book, et voila.

I’ll deffo be searching for some more books in this series; particularly the future of men by Grace Campbell (of course) and the future of stuff by Vinay Gupta (because wtf is the future of stuff? That’s a big question).

[Stephen Harrison · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure this weekend of reading Mia Levitin’s THE FUTURE OF SEDUCTION, a short book packed with research and witty asides. “The tools we use to meet, mate and relate have evolved more in the past ten years than in the previous ten thousand, yet we arrive at them with a biology unchanged since the Stone Age,” Levitin writes. One senses that our deeply imprinted scripts are no longer working.

Levitin accurately captures the feel of modern dating on apps like Tinder and Bumble—the paradox of (endless) choice, struggles with distraction, decline of empathy, and how people are made to feel disposable. Swipe-able. I particularly enjoyed the discussion on the psychology of texting and its disinhibition effects, and I also appreciated her integration of research for same-sex couples.

Overall, I enjoyed Levitin’s style, integrating personal anecdotes and offering clever transitions between topics. Like other books in the FUTURE series, this book aims to be constructive, pointing to the essential role of vulnerability in forging real relationships.

[Hollie · Rating 4 out of 5]

I was gifted this book and love the look of it. Short and sweet, I enjoyed reading the chapters one by one (voicenoting them daily to the bf cos I am now an audiobook narrator). While it didn’t reaaally talk to the future of seduction/dating and what that could look like aside from AI and VR, the two essays sparked some entertaining thoughts and stats on modern dating. Thank god I ain’t involved.

[Upseedasy · Rating 3 out of 5]

Two essays? On the effects of technology/ online dating, and the future of seduction. Backed with research and psychological studies—lgbt and hetero inclusive studies and even mentions IMDY ;) interesting books about tech and dating.

[Cédric · Rating 4 out of 5]

Fun read, yet well documented essay. It provides good food for thought on tech and human interactions.
It is actually the best documented of the series with numerous references for those willing to dig further.

[Connor · Rating 3 out of 5]

an overview of how online dating and the digital age as a whole are affecting our intimacy. doesn't really go into too much depth

[Anna · Rating 1 out of 5]

Uninspired, a pessimistic account that assumes digital communication has killed seduction, when perhaps we've just been wrong about seduction all along

[Isaac Pinto · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is really an essay and not really a book but it was digestable and concise.

I found myself agreeing with the idea that dating apps are a kind of necessary evil in today's landscape, and also enjoyed the ideas about there being no urgency because there's an endless carousel of options waiting at home (many such cases today e.g jobs)