monstroooo In reply to DarkAcey [2013-12-24 22:35:48 +0000 UTC]

I sort of suspect they know exactly the sort of message they're sending - and they know that keeping us hungry keeps them rich.

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monstroooo In reply to KissTheSunrise [2013-05-10 07:40:30 +0000 UTC]

Urgh, yeah, that's pretty hateful, disgusting stuff. Is it the inevitable result of a culture which celebrates people who take what they want? A culture which idolises sex and normalises pornography? A culture which drowns us in information but offers precious little education? Or did one sick individual - a one in a million - get away with something evil just... because? It's hard to know.

One of the reasons you have to work so hard to "manage your lusts", I think, is because everywhere you look you see people indulging theirs. It's on TV, the internet, radio, cafés, it's on posters, magazines, shiny product wrappers. Everyone wants to give you what you want because they know that, sooner or later, you'll pay for it. And time and time again, we do. Myself included.

Anyway. Thank you for your comments (I've always wished this piece would drive a little more discussion), and for the favourite and watch

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KissTheSunrise In reply to monstroooo [2013-05-10 09:35:33 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome!

I think the child molester is a very sick individual and not representative of the
culture that you're describing. He took sick and disgusting to a very bad level, but
I don't think he represents the majority of America.

I disagree that the reason I have to manage my lusts is because of the saturation of the
media with sex. I rarely watch TV, I don't see half a dozen movies a year. The root of
my problem is something that was in me at birth. I think it's actually more natural to be
full of lust and fulfilling it than it is to be chaste and "moral". Those are qualities
that were taught to me, but I didn't learn them well, because my body's fire drowned out my
mother's voice. Does that make sense? Frankly, IMO there's nothing wrong with sex in it's
proper place, and that's the question "where is the appropriate place to stop?". It's not as
easy a question to answer as you'd think when faceless corporations constantly push the limits.

I'm not advocating more sex or any more sexuality as a pawn to use in advertising. On the contrary,
I'd be glad to see it get cut back. My point is that I think it takes a new heart or rather a change
of heart and/or soul if you want people to change from their natural base selves to something better in
a portion of societies eyes. There have been other "great" civilizations that declined exactly as America
is doing today, but not just America it's the entire world, minus the third world countries that aren't privy
to the technology that is used to deliver the corporate greed in the form of sex for sale.

Than you for bringing the subject up.

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monstroooo In reply to KissTheSunrise [2013-05-10 11:05:36 +0000 UTC]

Ah, my point was not that the child molester was representive of Western culture (that WOULD be extreme! ). I was trying to suggest that perhaps a culture which is so saturated with greed will inevitably create people like that. A very small minority, for sure. But with a message of "take what you want!" being pumped through various forms of media into all our lives - perhaps it's no suprise that a few people turn bad.

I'm not sure how true that is, or course, nor how influenced this particular case is by that greedy culture Maybe there will always be wicked people getting away with wicked things. But I do think we live in a highly commoditised society of sexism and greed. We crave things - and perhaps worse, we treat our bodies as things to be sold or rented or upgraded.

I don't say this from a fundamentalist Christian perspective or anything. I have no religious leanings and make my own decisions. But I watch the world sometimes and I just wonder - is this really right?

I agree with you that there's nothing wrong with sex in its proper place. I believe we are animals and should enjoy our bodies and passions. I don't think chastity is natural, and none of us should sit in lead boxes and deny ourselves any pleasure. But I also believe that moderation and respect are important. This conversation perhaps implies that I don't enjoy sex - which isn't true. I love sex, and I love looking at pretty girls from time to time. But crucially to this discussion - I think sex (which is just one example of mainstream media and marketing playing upon our desires constantly) is over-sold, and put in our faces too much. I guess that excess is my point and my concern here.

To use a different example, I like a nice greasy hamburger from time to time - but I don't want to be hungry all day from having them constantly thrust under my nose. I also think its important that we consider where the hamburger came from and whether its production is sustainable.

Nor is this an anti-American rant. Societies throughout the years have lived on their desires; greed, after all, is a driving force which unites nations. Sometimes for the best. I believe greed is actually pretty rampant in the third world, too. Whether it's local governments or international corporates, I think people in Africa and India are still manipulated and controlled to the extent that getting a new iPad is more important than looking after family or the environment.

I think there are big problems out there. Not new ones, nor limited to specific countries, creeds or races. And I don't have any answers. Sometimes, as when I wrote this poem, I just get tired of it all and have to rant.

Thank you for engaging the conversation

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monstroooo In reply to disrhythmic [2013-03-05 12:00:30 +0000 UTC]

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monstroooo In reply to Sleyf [2013-02-28 12:29:43 +0000 UTC]

Thank you Sleyfy

I always encourage honesty - especially when it's nice honesty

I played with "we are children in a carnal carnival" for a long time, but decided the word-play cheapened the idea

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Sleyf In reply to monstroooo [2013-02-28 14:00:58 +0000 UTC]

You're welcome!

That's the best kind of honesty! Brutal honesty is horrible and comes across as...rude

I'm glad you did, I think "carnal carnival" would have been a bit of a let-down to be honest, "rusting" is so much better because it implies more of a decay rather than a sort of one-sided frenzy...if that made any sense

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monstroooo In reply to Sleyf [2013-02-28 15:50:56 +0000 UTC]

It does make sense, and agree. Besides, society IS rusting and, in our continual lust for new things, we ARE children So I'm quite confident in my final choice!

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Sleyf In reply to monstroooo [2013-02-28 15:55:17 +0000 UTC]

I agree!

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monstroooo In reply to PursuingTheCerberus [2013-02-27 22:52:29 +0000 UTC]

Thank you, William I very much appreciate your feedback and your honest. If you're happy, I'm happy!

That sounds like a very brave and very interesting thesis. I'm no hard-line Cristian or anything (far from it), but we have far too much of this stuff forced into our lives. If not actual pornography, then certainly highly sexualised advertising and imagery. This site alone is testament to that.

I, for one, am sick of people trying to manipulate my emotional state to try and get some money out of me. Can I not have my own feelings anymore?

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PursuingTheCerberus In reply to monstroooo [2013-02-27 23:06:11 +0000 UTC]

I'm not Christian either, in fact, I'm agnostic.

But yes, we're a hyper-sexual world and it gets old

objectification of women, the cliche "dirty mind" of a man;
the manipulations of advertising basing everything from
cars, booze and sports upon the attraction of the opposite sex.

You nailed this one. I'm sick of it too.

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