W On Viagra: Modern Drug-Use and Body Management By Yin-Bin Ning Keywords: Viagra, modernity, drug (ab)use, body management, risk, aphrodisiacs, medicalization, genital sex, life politics. modernity A. Giddens U. Beck Abstract In the popular discourse, Viagra has been represented as risky business that could endanger men s health, women s sexuality and body, family harmony, gender equity, sexual morality, etc. The risk of Viagra, although constructed partially for the social control of sexuality, in fact has its origin in modernity. In this essay, Viagra will be analyzed from the perspective developed by A. Giddens and U. Beck concerning risk and reflexive modernity. I argue that different from traditional aphrodisiacs, Viagra is a genuine modern sex drug. The use of Viagra is not really different from other modern drug-uses, although Viagra has not reached full modernization because of its characteristics as a sex drug. Modern drug-use is part of modern life and is body management for the purpose of meeting various demands of daily life. In this way, modern drug-use implies choices of life style. Hence, the politics of modern drug-use includes life politics. The risk of modern drug-use is part of the risk of modern life. This essay argues that W 33 1999 3 225-252 1999 30 Anthony Giddens Ulrich Beck 225
today it is difficult to distinguish individual drug-use from drug-abuse. This essay also shows that the agency of modern drug-(ab)user cannot be reduced to the structural effect of capital-state-science institutions of drug. For this reason, the orthodox medicalization critique is seen as oversimplified. In the analysis and criticism of the popular discourse on Viagra, this essay celebrates the aesthetic dimension in the abuse(excess) of Viagra. 1999 Viagra legalization of psychedelic drugs 1 2002 1 Altered State 2002 4-10 226
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U. Beck A. Giddens (reflexive modernity) 228
1998 2001 simple modernization reflection 229
30 30 30 aphrodisiacs 1926 Th. Van de 230
Velde Het Volkmen Huwelyk W. J. Robinson Slavoj Žižek 231
Žižek superego 2 Žižek 2 You May!: Slavoj Žižek writes about the Post-Modern Superego, London Review of Books, 1999/3/18, pp. 3-6. 232
epistemological aspect of emancipation political aspect of emancipation equal opportunity call-in 233
stratification sex and drug 234
modern drug-use 1930 1950 60 235
MDMA narcolepsy FM2 Ativan Minoxidil 2% 1996 Upjohn Minoxidil 2% Minoxidil 5% 236
RU486 1960 agency 237
drug-use drug-abuse 238
finasteride Propecia 2001 239
diet SM KTV solidarity sympathetic Mesterone, Zinc, Cerenin, Yocon, Vasomax Prozac Retin-A RU486 Pondimin Prozac 240
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agency 242
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0 1 245
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the taming of viagra male sexuality 247
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RU486 1996 4 249
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life politics 251
Foucault 252