The Art of Seduction (14 page)

Child-

hood is the golden paradise we

are always consciously or unconsciously try-

ing to re-create. The Natural embodies the longed-

for qualities of childhood
—
spontaneity, sincerity, unpre-
tentiousness. In the presence of Naturals, we feel at ease,

caught up in their playful spirit, transported back to that

golden age. Naturals also make a virtue out of weakness, elicit-
ing our sympathy for their trials, making us want to protect

them and help them. As with a child, much of this is natu-

ral, but some of it is exaggerated, a conscious seductive

maneuver. Adopt the pose of the Natural to

neutralize people's natural defensiveness

and infect them with helpless

delight.

Psychological Traits of the Natural

Children are not as guileless as we like to imagine. They suffer from feelings of helplessness, and sense early on the power of their natural charm to remedy their weakness in the adult world. They learn to play a game: if their natural innocence can persuade a parent to yield to their desires in one instance, then it is something they can use strategically in another instance, laying it on thick at the right moment to get their way. If
Long-past ages have a
their vulnerability and weakness is so attractive, then it is something they
great and often puzzling
attraction for men's

can use for effect.

imagination. Whenever

Why are we seduced by children's naturalness? First, because anything
they are dissatisfied with
natural has an uncanny effect on us. Since the beginning of time, natural
their present surround-
ings
—
and this happens

phenomena—such as lightning storms or eclipses—have instilled in human
often enough
—t
hey turn
beings an awe tinged with fear. The more civilized we become, the greater
back to the past and hope
the effect such natural events have on us; the modern world surrounds us
that they will now be able
to prove the truth of the

with so much that is manufactured and artificial that something sudden and
inextinguishable dream of
inexplicable fascinates us. Children also have this natural power, but be-
a golden age. They are
cause they are unthreatening and human, they are not so much awe inspir-
probably still under the
ing as charming. Most people try to please, but the pleasantness of the child
spell of their childhood,
which is presented to them

comes effortlessly, defying logical explanation—and what is irrational is
by their not impartial
often dangerously seductive.

memory as a time of

More important, a child represents a world from which we have been
uninterrupted bliss.
forever exiled. Because adult life is full of boredom and compromise, we —SIGMUND FREUD,
THE

S T A S D A R D E D I T I O N O F T H E

harbor an illusion of childhood as a kind of golden age, even though it can
COMPLETE PSYCHOLOGICAL

often be a period of great confusion and pain. It cannot be denied, how-
WORKS OF SIGMUND FREUD
, ever, that childhood had certain privileges, and as children we had a plea-VOLUME 23

surable attitude to life. Confronted with a particularly charming child, we often feel wistful: we remember our own golden past, the qualities we have lost and wish we had again. And in the presence of the child, we get a little
When Hermes was born
on Mount Cyllene his

of that goldenness back.

mother Maia laid him in

Natural seducers are people who somehow avoided getting certain
swaddling bands on a
childish traits drummed out of them by adult experience. Such people can
winnowing fan, but he
grew with astonishing

be as powerfully seductive as any child, because it seems uncanny and mar-
quickness into a little boy,
velous that they have preserved such qualities. They are not literally like
and as soon as her back
children, of course; that would make them obnoxious or pitiful. Rather it
was turned, slipped off and
is the spirit that they have retained. Do not imagine that this childishness is
went looking for adventure.
Arrived at Pieria, where

something beyond their control. Natural seducers learn early on the value
Apollo was tending a fine
of retaining a particular quality, and the seductive power it contains; they
herd of cows, he decided to
55

56
•
The Art of Seduction

steal them. But, fearing to
adapt and build upon those childlike traits that they managed to preserve,
be betrayed by their tracks,

exactly as the child learns to play with its natural charm. This is the key. It
he quickly made a number
is within your power to do the same, since there is lurking within all of us a
oj shoes from the bark of a

fallen oak and tied them
devilish child straining to be let loose. To do this successfully, you have to
until plaited grass to the
be able to let go to a degree, since there is nothing less natural than seeming
feet of the cows, which he
hesitant. Remember the spirit you once had; let it return, without self
then drove off by night
along the road. Apollo
consciousness. People are much more forgiving of those who go all the
discovered the loss, but
way, who seem uncontrollably foolish, than the halfhearted adult with a
Hermes's trick deceived

childish streak. Remember who you were before you became so polite and
him, and though he went
self-effacing. To assume the role of the Natural, mentally position yourself
as far as Pylus in his

westward search, and to
in any relationship as the child, the younger one.
Onchestus in his eastern,

The following are the main types of the adult Natural. Keep in mind
he was forced, in the end,

that the greatest natural seducers are often a blend of more than one of
to offer a reward for the

apprehension of the thief.
these qualities.

Silenus and his satyrs,

greedy of reward, spread

out in different directions to

track him down but, for a

The innocent.
The primary qualities of innocence are weakness and mis
long while, without success.
understanding of the world. Innocence is weak because it is doomed to
At last, as a party of them
vanish in a harsh, cruel world; the child cannot protect or hold on to its in
passed through Arcadia,
nocence. The misunderstandings come from the child's not knowing about
they heard the muffled

sound of music such as
good and evil, and seeing everything through uncorrupted eyes. The weak
they had never heard
ness of children elicits sympathy, their misunderstandings make us laugh,
before, and the nymph

and nothing is more seductive than a mixture of laughter and sympathy.
Cyllene, from the mouth of

a cave, told them that a

The adult Natural is not truly innocent—it is impossible to grow up in
most gifted child had

this world and retain total innocence. Yet Naturals yearn so deeply to hold
recently been born there, to
on to their innocent outlook that they manage to preserve the illusion of
whom she was acting as

nurse: he had constructed

innocence. They exaggerate their weakness to elicit the proper sympathy.
an ingenious musical toy
They act like they still see the world through innocent eyes, which in an
from the shell of a tortoise
adult proves doubly humorous. Much of this is conscious, but to be effec
and some cow-gut, with
tive, adult Naturals must make it seem subtle and effortless—if they are
which he had lulled his

mother to sleep.
•
"And

seen as
trying
to act innocent, it will come across as pathetic. It is better for
from whom did he get the
them to communicate weakness indirectly, through looks and glances, or
cow-gut?" asked the alert
through the situations they get themselves into, rather than anything obvi
satyrs, noticing two hides
stretched outside the cave.

ous. Since this type of innocence is mostly an act, it is easily adaptable for

"Do you charge the poor
your own purposes. Learn to play up any natural weaknesses or flaws.
child with theft?" asked

Cyllene. Harsh words were

exchanged.
•
At that

moment Apollo came up,

The imp.
Impish children have a fearlessness that we adults have lost. That
having discovered the
is because they do not see the possible consequences of their actions—how
thief's identity by observing

the suspicious behaviour of
some people might be offended, how they might physically hurt themselves
a long-winged bird.
in the process. Imps are brazen, blissfully uncaring. They infect you with
Entering the cave, he
their lighthearted spirit. Such children have not yet had their natural energy
awakened Maia and told

and spirit scolded out of them by the need to be polite and civil. Secretly,
her severely that Hermes

must restore the stolen
we envy them; we want to be naughty too.
cows. Maia pointed to the

Adult imps are seductive because of how different they are from the rest
child, still wrapped in his
of us. Breaths of fresh air in a cautious world, they go full throttle, as if
The Natural
•
57

their impishness were uncontrollable, and thus natural. If you play the part,
swaddling bands and
do not worry about offending people now and then—you are too lovable
feigning sleep. "What an
absurd charge!" she cried.

and inevitably they will forgive you. Just don't apologize or look contrite,
But Apollo had already
for that would break the spell. Whatever you say or do, keep a glint in your
recognized the hides. He
eye to show that you do not take anything seriously.

picked up Hermes, carried

him to Olympus, and there

formally accused him of

theft, offering the hides as

The wonder.
A wonder child has a special, inexplicable talent: a gift for
evidence. Zeus, loth to
music, for mathematics, for chess, for sport. At work in the field in which
believe that his own new-
born son was a thief

they have such prodigal skill, these children seem possessed, and their ac-
encouraged him to plead
tions effortless. If they are artists or musicians, Mozart types, their work
not guilty, but Apollo
seems to spring from some inborn impulse, requiring remarkably little
would not be put off and
Hermes, at last, weakened

thought. If it is a physical talent that they have, they are blessed with un-
and confessed.
•
"Very
usual energy, dexterity, and spontaneity. In both cases they seem talented
well, come with me," he
beyond their years. This fascinates us.

said, "and you may have

Adult wonders are often former wonder children who have managed,

your herd. I slaughtered

only two, and those I cut

remarkably, to retain their youthful impulsiveness and improvisational skills.
up into twelve equal
True spontaneity is a delightful rarity, for everything in life conspires to rob
portions as a sacrifice to the
us of it—we have to learn to act carefully and deliberately, to think about
twelve gods"
• "
Twelve
gods?" asked Apollo.

how we look in other people's eyes. To play the wonder you need some

"Who is the twelfth?"
•

skill that seems easy and natural, along with the ability to improvise. If in

"Your servant, sir" replied

fact your skill takes practice, you must hide this and learn to make your
Hermes modestly. "I ate
no more than my share,

work appear effortless. The more you hide the sweat behind what you do,
though I was very hungry,
the more natural and seductive it will appear.

and duly burned the rest. "

•
The two gods
[
Hermes

and Apollo
]
returned to

Mount Cyllene, where

The undefensive lover.
As people get older, they protect themselves against
Hermes greeted his mother
painful experiences by closing themselves off. The price for this is that they
and retrieved something
grow rigid, physically and mentally. But children are by nature unprotected
that he had hidden
underneath a sheepskin.
•