254 TABOO AND GENETICS 



it will mean the repression of personal inclina- 

 tions and conformity to social standards. 



For the majority of people, however, it is 

 likely that a more rational form of social control, 

 freed from the long ages of taboo restrictions, 

 and based upon accurate biological and psy- 

 chological knowledge, will solve the disharmony 

 between the individual and the group to a great 

 extent. Such a rationalization will take into 

 account the value of a new ideal of love which 

 shall be built up from a sane relationship between 

 the sexes and in accordance with eugenic 

 standards. It will also grant a great deal of 

 personal autonomy in the determination of 

 sexual relationships in so far as this can be 

 correlated with the welfare of the children of 

 the race. Last of all, it will attempt to con- 

 dition the emotional reactions to respond to 

 stimuli which shall insure eugenic mating 

 naturally and without the intervention of 

 legislation. 



Unless modern civilization can set up some 

 such form of rational control for the sexual and 

 reproductive life of its members, the present 

 conflict between individuation and socialization 

 will continue and the dysgenic factors now 

 operative in society will steadily increase. In 

 the end, this internal conflict may become so 

 powerful as to act as an irresistible disintegrating 

 force that will shatter the fabric of modern 



