The memorable phrase from HMS Pinafore is, according to one of the wags at Touchstone magazine, also the key to getting male/female relationships correct. In one of several worthy observations at the front of this month's issue, they note that smaller family sizes for several generations means no one has cousins anymore --or at least not living nearby. The result is that kids don't grow up with opposite-sex friends with whom sexual relationships are closed off, and they just don't learn how. I'm thinking about it, as Fr. N. says.
Making a related point in the book's lead piece is Anthony Esolen, who writes a requiem for friendship --particularly male friendship, which he says is no longer possible because of open homosexuality. How's that? Because when you see two young men together, it automatically flickers across your mind that they could be lovers, so boys learn early to protect themselves from that reputation by not getting too close to other boys. Interesting take --the whole article is worth considering, but alas it is not online. A few of the other items of interest in the issue are, however. Check it out.
