Defining Pornography

[Boxlicker101]

Quote:
Originally Posted by Mesachie
Perhaps that is the sword that slices the gordian knot here? If it does not rely on complexity and intellect, but speaks to our most animal desire, then it is porn. If it marries other aspects of humanity to it, enriching the reader's experience, but dilluting the sex, then it should be considered erotica?

But what if it is a "stew" with both ingredients included, but as discrete components of harmonious whole? One page is a sex act that "speaks to our most animal desire," and another section contains "intellect, complexity, and aspects of humanity." In one bite is sex that is not "dilluted," and in another bite is something else.

When people were still trying to legally define pornography, they used the phrase "taken as a whole" to describe this kind of thing. If a work was mostly "intellect, complexity, and aspects of humanity" but one page was a sex act that "speaks to our most animal desire" the work would have been considered "Not pornographic.

They would NEVER say such a thing about one of my stories.

 

[SlickTony]

No. It was banned as "Filth", but everyone read it anyway. It was pretty boring, actually, Roxanne

I have started it several times, and have never been able to finish it.

 

[Mesachie]

Roxanne Appleby - I agree with BoxLiker101 here. However discreet you make the sex in a story: page, paragraph or a terrifically torrid sentence, it is still part of the "stew".

Interestingly I watched a food writer named Bittman on TV recently and he had an internationally renowned Spanish chef doing a very upscale gazpacho. Instead of blending as normal, each and every ingredient was minced into tiny little cubes (except for liquids of course) and arranged on a plate. Every one was as fresh as possible and the chosen for the best flavor. So instead of a mixed or blended soup, this chef presented every item in the gazpacho as an individual taste to be savored. They could be delivered individually to the tongue or in small mixed bits. But it allowed the patron to acknowledge every single component.

Now, a story can have its very distinct aspects. The Story of O is not one endless session of submission, abuse, and delightful explotation, is it? But it is quite the arousing little tale for me. Though some parts are more so than others.

I celebrate both the strictly sexual appetite, desire unleashed and satiated, as well the more refined dance of story-telling that delivers more complexity to our palate and leaves us with a melange of flavors across our tongues and wafting rich aromas.

I suppose this is one of those deconstructionist conundrums that demonstrates the inherent instability of defining sex as a subject of story telling. I guess I view of literary/artistic/pornographic sex sort of the way I was taught to view photons. Both as a wave and a particle. It refuses to behave appropriately.

Mesachie

 

[cumallday]

Another great line from Ol' Potter went something like: "Censorship is society's way of judging itself".

Maybe erotica is something you aren't afraid to admit to liking or share with others while pornography is.

 

[Pure]

to eros calling,

in a discussion of porn and erotica, i intended 'lolita' to refer the book; but i have clarified the posting.

 

[minsue]

Pondering porn, poetry and pragmatism.

He may just be onto something.