Is Sex Necessary? Or, Why You Feel the Way You Do

Is Sex Necessary? Or, Why You Feel the Way You Do (1929) is a brilliant satirical work that humorously dissects the popular psychological and social theories about sex, love, and human behavior prevalent in the early twentieth century. Written by E. B. White and James Thurber, the book adopts the tone of a mock scientific study, complete with absurd charts, invented terminology, and tongue-in-cheek definitions.

Rather than offering genuine explanations, the authors parody the era's obsession with analyzing emotions through pseudo-scientific language. Topics such as romance, neurosis, marriage, passion, repression, and gender relations are treated with elegant irony and playful exaggeration. The humor lies in exposing how attempts to rationalize feelings often lead to confusion rather than clarity.

The book does not aim to answer whether sex is "necessary" in any serious sense; instead, it mocks the cultural impulse to intellectualize what is fundamentally emotional and irrational. With sharp wit and understated elegance, White and Thurber critique modern society's faith in psychology as a universal explanatory tool.

Enduringly fresh, Is Sex Necessary? remains a classic of American humor, celebrated for its intelligence, restraint, and timeless commentary on human relationships and emotional bewilderment.

E. B. White (1899–1985) and James Thurber (1894–1961) were American writers and longtime contributors to The New Yorker. White was renowned for his essays and children's literature, while Thurber gained fame for his humorous prose and cartoons. Together, they produced one of the most iconic works of literary satire in American humor.