...death opens the way to the denial of individual life, then how can someone bear a negation that carries one to the furthest bounds possible without doing damage to ones body? In other words, can a human being be taken to the furthest point possible erotically and survive? George Bataille's much cited Erotism : Death and Sensuality is a unique and controversial work that draws on some of those questions that oft do not linger in the minds of individuals. His book is not merely meant to explore human sexuality, but rather to link erotism with spirituality. The title that includes both erotism and death in the same breath is rather disturbing and hints at violence. But death can be peaceful too and in fact, the violence that he speaks of is more relevant to the sexual experience than the experience of death.
In a general sense, people have pushed the limits of sex and drugs, some experiencing the typical high, while others have...