Leading us astray

Press, 11 December 1982, Page 18

Leading us astray

Subordinate Sex: A Guide to Personal Conquest. By Dr Derek Ellis. Arlington Books, 1982. 252 pp. $27.50.

(Reviewed by

Ken Strongman)

Derek Ellis is a professor of biology at a Canadian university and he has attempted to join an increasing number of biologists who seek to provide biological, evolutionary explanations for psychological matters—a possibly misplaced endeavour. Ellis has attempted to do for leadership what Ardery attempted for territoriality. Lorenz for aggression, and Desmond Morris for

anything he can get his intellectual hands on.

Ellis divides the world into subs, supersubs. doms, false doms. ritual doms, and com-doms (unfortunate allusions there, which cause some bizarre images during particular chapters). He proceeds in the usual way of such writings by a selective description of examples from the animal kingdom to make his points about leading and following. Then, in each case, he builds up to a description of human behaviour. Simply because there are parallels between the human and infrahuman behaviour, the reader is asked to believe that this somehow provides an explanation for the human condition. Although such reasoning can be beguiling, it is insubstantial and is naive as to the nature of explanation. The rest of “Subordinate Sex" is about sex. of a sort. But don't rush out to buy it, wads of brown paper discreetly folded in your pocket. There' is nothing to titillate, nor are there many useful tips to help in the hunt, the chase, the skirmishes, or the battle. For example, it is unlikely that a person about to be raped gives more than a passing thought to whether the assailant is a dom or a super-sub. The book contains many statements that ring with authority and which a moment's reflection calls into serious

account. "For a non-breeder. buggery fills all the physical requirements with the added satisfaction of gratifying rank." One can imagine alternative viewpoints. Or. advice as to how to deal with sexual harassment: “Look him straight in the eye, be cool. Tell him he is'too close for your personal comfort. Don't be rude, discourteous or distraught. If you are, you will have lost the rank encounter." Again, one can think of other types of riposte which would leave relative rank and feelings in little doubt. "Subordinate Sex” purports to be a new theory of human sexuality. It isn't. It would be inaccurate to describe its contents as a theory at all. It is a reasonably comprehensive, and at times, amusing, exploration of leader-follower and follower-follower relationships, with many fascinating but instantly forgettable examples of the sexual behaviour of baboons, gorillas and the like. There are even passing hints at the serious logistical problems encountered by elephants. However, it is poor psychology, and I suspect that it is poor biology as well.