Saturday, April 21, 2007
Wednesday, April 04, 2007
Talk to the Animals
Well, it's time for a little introspection. It all started when I heard a discussion on the radio -- can't remember where or what -- about why women aren't allowed to go topless in public but men are. It's an issue that I've never really understood. I admit that I'm not particularly modest about my body: I've often gone to nude beaches, clothing-optional gay resorts, gym shower rooms, etc. Even after gaining 30 or 40 pounds, I still have a "this is who I am -- take it or leave it" attitude.
So then I started wondering what's behind this bizarre need we have to cover ourselves. It occurred to me that much of the Puritanism in our society arises from one cause: a very deep-seated need to deny anything about ourselves that reminds us that we are ANIMALS. Our bodies are animal bodies. A woman's breasts perform the ancient mammalian function of nourishing offspring. The sex-drive that we're not supposed to talk about links us directly to animals. Our inevitable but whispered-about meeting with Death returns us to dust just as it does with animals. Of course, this way of thinking makes sense to religious believers whose scriptures tell them that human beings are not animals and who don't want to be reminded that we, in fact, are.
OK so where does the introspection come in? My train of thought next led me to consider the human propensity for violence. I am forever bemoaning our inability to leave those drives behind. But, if I consider this issue honestly, I have to admit that those instincts are also proof of our animal nature. All you have to do is watch the National Geographic or the Discovery Channel to see animals eerily exhibiting exactly the same behaviors that we see all around us every day. Whether we use violent or other means, our actions often replicate the territorial battles seen among our animal ancestors. So, in expecting us to be able to just get over our need to physically dominate each other, I am trying to deny that we are animals just as much as those who prefer to hide our bodies and our sexual activities.
So where does that leave me in this argument? How do we decide which animal drives we should work to overcome and which we should accept or even enjoy? Why do I embrace my lusty side but reject my violent side? Can we divide these drives into those that bring pleasure and those that bring pain? But then, don't unwanted pregnancies and STI's cause pain? And wasn't Hitler defeated with violence?
So far I haven't even begun to resolve this dichotomy that makes such a hypocrite of me. Maybe someone out there can offer a more profound analysis of this question. Someone once said that the duty of the artist is not to offer answers, but to raise the important questions. Well, there is my issue for the day. What do you think?
So then I started wondering what's behind this bizarre need we have to cover ourselves. It occurred to me that much of the Puritanism in our society arises from one cause: a very deep-seated need to deny anything about ourselves that reminds us that we are ANIMALS. Our bodies are animal bodies. A woman's breasts perform the ancient mammalian function of nourishing offspring. The sex-drive that we're not supposed to talk about links us directly to animals. Our inevitable but whispered-about meeting with Death returns us to dust just as it does with animals. Of course, this way of thinking makes sense to religious believers whose scriptures tell them that human beings are not animals and who don't want to be reminded that we, in fact, are.
OK so where does the introspection come in? My train of thought next led me to consider the human propensity for violence. I am forever bemoaning our inability to leave those drives behind. But, if I consider this issue honestly, I have to admit that those instincts are also proof of our animal nature. All you have to do is watch the National Geographic or the Discovery Channel to see animals eerily exhibiting exactly the same behaviors that we see all around us every day. Whether we use violent or other means, our actions often replicate the territorial battles seen among our animal ancestors. So, in expecting us to be able to just get over our need to physically dominate each other, I am trying to deny that we are animals just as much as those who prefer to hide our bodies and our sexual activities.
So where does that leave me in this argument? How do we decide which animal drives we should work to overcome and which we should accept or even enjoy? Why do I embrace my lusty side but reject my violent side? Can we divide these drives into those that bring pleasure and those that bring pain? But then, don't unwanted pregnancies and STI's cause pain? And wasn't Hitler defeated with violence?
So far I haven't even begun to resolve this dichotomy that makes such a hypocrite of me. Maybe someone out there can offer a more profound analysis of this question. Someone once said that the duty of the artist is not to offer answers, but to raise the important questions. Well, there is my issue for the day. What do you think?
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