Monthly Archives: August 2012

Why Is So Much “Literature” So Dull?

31 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by in literature

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Cheesy novels are often the best…

I wonder why so much of “literature” is so boring. Once I read Moby Dick. This is considered to be one the greatest novels ever written. Yet halfway through the novel I had to put it down due to the strain of perpetual boredom. About six months later I took it up again and finally finished, although I was left wondering why so many academics and critics experience squirting ejaculations while reading this work. Melville takes so many digressions from his story to give us a National Geographic like, detailed account of whaling that I nearly impaled myself on whatever instrument resembling a harpoon I came across, which fortunately was none. Still, I found little pleasure in reading this book, except for a few passages here and there.

I once read Tarzan of the Apes by Edgar Rice Burroughs and found it utterly enthralling, entertaining and delightful. It was a complete contrast to the dull and ponderous Melville. So this made me wonder why so many of the “great works of literature” are so completely dull and difficult to read, while those of the more popular sort are so much more delightful to read.

I really do not know, and admit this is a completely subjective view. There are plenty of others who enjoy reading these things. However, when it comes to reading fiction, there is one small fact that needs to be addressed, and it is this:

Most statistics show that about 80% of all readers of novels are women. This is true for today, and was most likely similar in the past, although there are no statistics to back this up. We often hear of the criticism in the Nineteenth century about women being corrupted by their Victorian novels. So it is true that women have always made up a large if not great majority of the reading public.

But also in the past, as I have written before, there was a large industry of pulp magazines that appealed directly to male readers. Vigorous and flourishing throughout the first half of the twentieth century, this industry no longer exists. It always fascinates me today that there was once this real and tangible phenomenon, the pulp magazine geared towards men, and that a substantial readership of men existed at one time for fiction, and which has now for the most part faded away. It reveals how men once read for entertainment. Today, with televised sports, video games, and porn, and other avenues for entertainment, this no longer seems to be the case. Sure, there will always be some sort of  male readership for fiction, but I would place bets on its small and dwindling numbers. As a matter of fact, if you browse the fiction section of any bookstore, of those that are left, you will see the vast majority of the novels are geared towards women. And I think different desires motivate men and women when it comes to reading fiction.

Men want action. Men want adventure. Men want to be transplanted to strange, heroic, dangerous places where a character can test his limits. Men enjoy reading about unsavory, filthy and amoral characters. Men like violence. Men like sex. Men like beautiful women. These used to be the staple of the old pulp magazines. The girly themes that dominant most modern literature will naturally be devoid of theses qualities.

But I ask myself, why is it that so many of the so called great works of literature in past are often so dull and boring and tedious to read? I think one of the reasons is the academic class that has arisen in the past fifty years or so which dictates to the rest of us what is good and what is not good literature. As Mickey Spillane says, in response to the critics hating his best selling, hard hitting detective novels, “If people like you, your good.” I myself find Spillane a thousand times more enjoyable to read than Melville. The academic class of critics, buttressed by the prestige and aura of Universities, adorned with different degrees, titles and awards, see themselves as the gatekeepers to what is true and honorable in literature. They define for us what is literature. They tell us what we should be reading. They are in the fact that ones who turned reading fiction and stories as a simple source of enjoyment into the more ponderous and obtuse thing called “literature”.

Such images were common in the old Pulp magazines…

How many young people in high school or colleges have been forever turned away from reading fiction because they had to endure the endless drudgery of reading works that are utterly boring and tedious. There are fewer things more painful than having to read something you find dull and boring. And then, to be told that they are wrong because they find these things boring, and question their value, simply because the priestly class of critics have forever determined that certain works are valuable, while others are not. I simply cannot tell you how many novels I have read that I found utterly dull and boring, but which are considered great and important works of art, while at the same time I have read many novels that, while despised by the critics, I found to be absorbing, entertaining, and very well written, artistic in their own way.

I am not trying to make any sort of definitive statement on these matters, as I said above, each one has his own taste. There are many great and recognized works of literature that are pleasure to read, that are entertaining and engrossing, and plenty of entertaining works of popular fiction that are devoid of artistic merits. But once again my own tastes makes me realize that in reading, as in religion, in the end I need to go with my own instincts, and pursue the things that I enjoy, and not let others define for me what is good, proper and respectable. For me, too much of good, proper and respectable “literature”, the type you might read in a classroom, or promoted by high minded critics, is utterly devoid of excitement and entertainment.

Did Hitler Survive the War?

27 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by in culture, politics

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No shit? Really?

Recently I was reading a few items speculating on whether Hitler escaped the last days of the Third Reich or not. In my opinion, as uninformed as it is, he did not. The suicide stories, where he and his mistress-wife Eva Braun killed themselves on April 30, 1945, while Soviet troops were closing in on his bunker in Berlin, are most likely what happened.

However, the myth of Hitler surviving, escaping, and living until the 1960’s is out there. One of the fodders for this myth is the fact that no body was ever really recovered. The charred remains of two bodies were discovered outside the bunker by Soviet troops. These are often assumed to be the bodies of Hitler and Eva Braun. But the evidence is inconclusive. A skull fragment from those remains which were later stored in the Soviet archives and recently examined for the first time by scientists, previously thought to be Hitler’s, turns out to be a woman’s. It could be Braun’s, but there is a bullet hole in the skull, and there is no story that Braun committed suicide by gun, but rather, by poison. But who knows. Maybe Hitler shot her.

The actual facts of Hitler’s death are sketchy. As I just mentioned, shortly after the war the Soviets claimed they found his charred remains of Hitler and Braun in a shallow grave outside his Berlin bunker and then buried them in Madgeburg Germany (which was in former Soviet controlled East Germany). Then, worried the grave sight might become a shrine for neo-Nazis, the bodies were exhumed them in the early 70’s, cremated and the ashes scattered. Perhaps this is the truth. But the fact that we are basing all our evidence on what the Soviet government said is a natural cause for suspicion. And out of suspicion arise the escape and survival stories. The most common is that Hitler escaped to South America, along with many other high level Nazis known to have escaped there. Other stories have him escaping to Indonesia, even Antarctica.

Der Fuehrer relaxing in his post-War tropical retirement.

A few photos of Hitler alive after the War are out there. Recently I found this one. Hitler liked to tan his ass. After all, there was a large contingent of gay Nazis, and the subtle homoeroticism of Nazi imagery is a well studied subject. Too bad this is so obviously a fake. It is too good.

Nazi theme porn was produced in Israel. Seriously.

Oh, and one other strange fact of the post war years, apparently there was an abundance of Nazi themed porn produced in Israel in the early 60’s. The themes usually involved SS dominatrices abusing American or British POW’s. Strange stuff. I think today there still might be strong Nazi theme in Israel porn, but I am not sure. I know the Nazi theme is common in other porn genres.

The Alien Apocalypse: What Would Really Happen?

23 Thursday Aug 2012

Posted by in culture

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If aliens should actually invade the Earth, this would be the fate of mankind: we would be totally fucked.

Whenever I see some movie, such as Independence Day, which depicts an alien invasion of Earth, with the Earth winning, I can’t help but laugh. Why do people make such stupid movies? Instead of seeing a sort of feel good fantasy of how the Earthlings will defeat the Aliens, usually led by the United States, I want to see a real depiction of what would really happen if aliens decided to colonize the Earth, or harvest humans for whatever reasons. I wish someone would make such a movie, a movie which would show the total annihilation of mankind if aliens did in fact decide to destroy us.

The bottom line is this: if aliens have the technology to travel millions of light years just to get here, we would be fucked. There would be no contest. Any civilization out there with such overwhelming technological superiority would overwhelm us with that technology. They would laugh at our puny little weapons and unsophisticated machines. We would stand no chance. In the end, we would be like cattle herded into a slaughterhouse. Why else would any other civilization travel the immense distances of space to come here, except to get something from us? I doubt such an encounter would be a friendly one.

I often marvel at how vast and unknown the universe is. It is right there, all around us, above our heads in the sky. At night we can see the innumerable stars from different parts of that strange, vast world of space. What is out there? What exactly is the universe? Despite the fact that we know it exists, no one really understands it, how to came to be, where it ends, if it ends, and what is out there. The vastness of the universe shows how infinitesimally puny and ignorant we really are. We still don’t even understand something as basic as gravity. It is all quite humbling, really. So if any other beings out there have the intelligence and ability to travel those vast distances to get here, to find this small speck of rock in the vastness of space, and if their intentions were hostile, that would be the end of mankind.

I wish someone would make a movie of this nature: the end of mankind after an alien invasion, without any hope, and how people would act and behave in that situation. It is probably too dark for a Hollywood movie; after all, who would want to see it? In the end, the need for hope is part of our human nature. We like to think we could overcome such odds. Hollywood likes happy endings.

But I think a dark, completely hopeless alien invasion film would be an interesting piece of entertainment.

More Ginger Loveliness

19 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by in beauty

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Another lovely ginger…

Here is just a small bit of ginger loveliness for tonight. What can be said about her? In addition to all her exquisite attributes, she shows how hot freckles can be. When I see such a photo I think of beauty and loveliness, my desire for aesthetic stimulation is satisfied. She is a lovely creature. We men enjoy such sights. We need such sights. Such sights makes our lives a little nicer, a little sunnier. Her hair, her eyes, her lips, her breasts, they all seem perfect. There can be much beauty in the world, and this is a good example of that.

No matter what happens in life, I never tire of beauty, especially feminine beauty.

 

I Love A Good Old Fashioned Coke Bottle

15 Wednesday Aug 2012

Posted by in culture

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The traditional Coke bottle is a thing of beauty…

Recently I bought a six pack of Coke bottles. After drinking a few Cokes from this six pack, I was reminded once again that there is no bottle, anywhere in the world, which has the feel of a Coke bottle. Originally designed in 1915 by Earl. R. Dean, the goal was to create a unique and instantly recognizable bottle, both in sight and touch. To quote Wikipedia:

In 1915, the Coca-Cola Company launched a competition among its bottle suppliers to create a new bottle for their beverage that would distinguish it from other beverage bottles, “a bottle which a person could recognize even if they felt it in the dark, and so shaped that, even if broken, a person could tell at a glance what it was.”

This bottle has gone through slight modifications throughout the years, but the basic form and feel has remained the same. Dean actually came up with the idea for the bottle shape by trying to imitate a coco pod, although he had never actually handled one. So after seeing some photos of coco pods, he came up with the idea for the Coke bottle design. The end result was that he created the most recognizable bottle in all history.

Whatever the origins of the design, I find that there is certain kind of feminine charm to the bottle. The bottle has perfectly proportioned curves, as well as a smooth texture.  I find the curvature to resemble more a breast-waist-hip proportion than anything else. The green glass adds a somewhat exotic tinge. All in all, it is really something of a work of art. Perhaps it is hard to believe that something which is merely the product of a company attempting to sell a product can reach an artistic level, but in this instance, Coca Cola achieved something quite unique. The fact that this bottle has been part of Americana for a century now, is another factor in its cultural value. It is deeply imbedded into the American psyche, even the world psyche. After all, Coca Cola is the most recognizable brand in all of human history.

But most of all it is simply the feel of the bottle that I enjoy the most. There is something special to drinking a Coke from a bottle. Coke bottles are not common these days. The can and the plastic bottle make up most of the product today. You have to look to find Coke in a bottle. But when I find a Coke bottle and drink from it on a hot summer day, well, it can be an almost transcendent experience.

Wrestling with Faith and God

12 Sunday Aug 2012

Posted by in religion, spirituality

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Despite my own doubts and struggles, I still need to believe…

So what is this pull of spirituality and religion? For many months now I have been estranged from organized religion, disgusted at the hatred and hypocrisy I see in so many organized bodies of believers.  A great deal of the history of Christianity in particular has disturbed me. I wonder, why do I belong and believe in something that so many have used and still continue to use for what seem to be narrow and ultimately destructive ends? The ignorance and hostility towards certain groups of people by Christians is embarrassing. The recent nonsense with Chic-Fil-A and the notion of “Biblically” based ideas on marriage are a recent example. Now, people are free to believe whatever they want, but when someone invokes the Bible as source of what is right and what is wrong in marriage, it is clear that the Bible itself has all sorts of different types of marriage. Polygamy and concubinage were common in the Old Testament. People might say, “Well, that is the Old Testament, and we don’t follow that anymore.” But why? If you are going to invoke the Bible to support modern day laws against homosexuality, then why not invoke the Bible to support polygamy? Or prostitution? Furthermore, the Bible supports slavery. In the nineteenth century many a Christian pastor, especially in the Old South, quoted the Bible quite often to defend slavery. It is this sort of mindless adherence to the Bible by so many fundamentalist Christians which often turns me away from Christianity.

And yet, despite all this, despite what I see as so much anger and hatred coming out from so many Christian communities, I still feel that powerful pull of the divine. I struggle with faith. I struggle with God. I ask too many questions. I doubt. I find many Christians quite distasteful. But, despite these issues, I know there is something more powerful than myself, something greater and benevolent and wonderful, the creator of the world and the universe, and I feel drawn to this. When I pray, I am happier. When I attend Church, I am happier. When I seek peace, I feel more peaceful. All of the different religious traditions of the world, despite their constant bickering and fighting and even hatred of one another, can at least attest to the positive and life affirming effects of prayer, meditation, and seeking God. They can all attest to the power of spirituality. Perhaps some people cannot understand this? Or perhaps some people will ridicule this? Who knows. But religion is part of our genetic DNA, it has existed in every society since the dawn of man, for whatever reasons, and most of us need some sort of sense of the divine to help us through life. Perhaps it is merely a coping mechanism developed over millions of years to help us deal with our own mortality. We are, after all, the only species on Earth that understands death and our own life limits. Or perhaps there really is a God out there who is calling us to closer union with Him. There is no real way of knowing, which is why faith is what it is, a trusting, a letting reason and common sense go to believe in something we cannot see or feel or hear or smell but something which we know still exists. As with the body, we can also see and feel and touch and smell with our souls, with the inner eyes and ears and fingers of our being, and this brings us comfort and stability in the realm of the spirit and divine.

When I see and hear so much of the hatred and bigotry and ignorance from so many Christians, this is my reaction…

So, despite my recent posts of how much I have been turned off from religion, I still believe, and have come to understand even better my own personal need for spirituality, redemption and salvation. My own particular tradition is Christian, and Catholic. I know I could never leave these to join another faith or religion. With Christians, there are many holy, orthodox believers out there who have attacked me with great venom for writing about my own beliefs and questions. My writing about spirituality and eroticism in particular has labeled me a non-Christian, a heathen, a sinner who is destined for hell. I admit, these holy and orthodox Christians do bother me. But I just need to ignore them. Out of all the religions of the world, Christians can be the most hateful, bigoted and oppressive (I suppose Islam is a good competitor with Christianity for the honor of having the most hate filled members). Such is life, and human nature. I cannot let this distract me from my own spiritual quest and edification. My need for God is too important.

In the end, I can’t help but believe. I need to believe. It is just part of my nature. I need the beauty of faith and spirituality in my life. Faith is too important to ignore. God is too great to reject.

Summer Delights

10 Friday Aug 2012

Posted by in beauty, women

≈ 2 Comments

One of the delights of summer…

There is a scene in one of my favorite movies, City Slickers, where the Billy Crystal lead character is talking with his one time nemesis-turned friend, the crusty old cowboy, Curly, played brilliantly by Jake Palance (he won an academy award for his role). In the scene, Crystal asks Palance if he has ever been in love. Palance answers that, yes, one time he was in love. He was in love with a women he saw one day years ago while on a cattle drive, standing far off, wearing nothing but a cotton dress in the hot summer sun, and the sun was illuminating the shape of her body through the fabric of her dress. That vision was all that Palance needed. He never bothered to meet her and just kept the memory of that moment afterward. It was his one true love. “I figured, it does not get any better than that,” he said, or something to that effect.

Seeing the outline of a woman’s body through her dress is one of the special delights of summer. It is one of those special surprises, a hidden and unexpected joy amid the hustle and bustle of a busy and often crass world. When I am fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of a woman’s legs or even more though the fabric of her dress, I indeed thank God for allowing me to see something beautiful, although transitory and ultimately unattainable. Such experiences makes each day a little better. Beauty comes in many forms, and hidden and sudden and unexpected visions of beauty are often the most precious.

Jack Palance as Curly. The American cowboy was always a great appreciator of beautiful women.

Curly, that great old cowboy, understood this.

More Beauty…

06 Monday Aug 2012

Posted by in art, beauty, erotica, women

≈ 1 Comment

Beauty is good for the soul…

This is a beautiful photo. What I like most is how soft and pale her skin is, her golden hair, her perfectly shaped breasts and overall lovely, alluring curves. The downward glance is evocative but also playful. This shows nudity as a happy experience.

Why do I post so many nudes on this blog? It is simply that I want show that depictions of nudity can be artistic, beautiful and uplifting. Too many in our world immediately label any kind of nude as “porn”, whereas in fact many nudes, whether in photography or painting or drawing, are expressions of deeper things. When it comes to “porn” vs. “erotica”, as I have said before, and what needs to be repeated again and again, is that most porn is pretty trashy. I don’t even like most porn. Most of the mainstream porn is vulgar, boring and overly artificial. However, this does not mean that all erotica is bad. I believe there is a place for good erotic depictions of life, that human sexuality in its entire spectrum can be legitimate and meaningful subject of artistic expression, and I enjoy showing those on this blog.

Beauty, human beauty, is actually a rare thing. Simply look at the world around you, and you will see very few people who could actually be considered physically beautiful. There are many reasons for this, perhaps the most important being that there is in fact a certain symmetry and balance that is required in the face and body for beauty. In addition, youth and healthy body type are also essential. While many people may have certain elements of these, most people lack them to the degree that is required for what has traditionally been considered “beauty”. Beauty is a high standard. It is almost an ideal. Like gold or diamonds, its rarity makes it all the more precious. This is why when we see beauty we find it aesthetically pleasing, for and in both men and women (how many women ogle David Beckham, and how many men actually look like him?).

So I like showing beautiful things. I like showing beautiful women. And even in my more explicit postings, I try to maintain the boundaries of beauty. A depiction of sex can be both hot and beautiful, although most porn is neither. Porn often has that dark, trashy side which I find distasteful (although I suppose it is precisely the forbidden darkness of porn that is part of the appeal: porn that is too “mainstream” has lost some of its power, i.e., it is a hidden, secret pleasure).

When it comes to beauty however, including erotic beauty, there is simply a mysterious pleasure in viewing which is hard to describe.

True, Biblically Based Marriage

04 Saturday Aug 2012

Posted by in culture, religion

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After all, the Bible is the inspired, infallible and holy world of God.

So, given the recent Chick fil a brouhaha, here is my take on Biblically based marriage. If we are to take the Bible literally, as the infallible, inspired word of God, which is what many of the more fundamentalist religious persuasion believe, then how can we not come to the conclusion that there are many more forms of “marriage” than our present notion of one man and one woman. Who are we to question the practices of the ancient Israelites? Solomon, the wisest man who ever lived, had hundreds of wives and even more concubines. Talk about the good old days. Somewhere our society seriously went wrong when we lost touch with the wisdom of Solomon. This holy man of the Bible clearly loved pussy.

I personally like the idea of having many wives and concubines. I also like the idea of owning many wives and their property. Pure virgins as the untouched spoils of military conquest is a bit more exotic, kinky and smacks of a BDSM streak. But I like that one too.

Did Solomon with all this wives and concubines enjoy such pleasures on a drunken weekend night….?

If this is what Biblically based marriage is, then I am all for it.