Sunday, August 9, 2009 by Nandan
Wow, that BBC thing IS scary! But then again, why should it be surprising? (Without having done the readings yet) I think sex and the sex industry, regardless of what people's views are on the subject, is and probably always will be the first industry to come up with new technological innovations. Most websites that pawn off porn were the first to obtain HD and apart from the innovations that are made in the sex toys and all that, the porn industry on the whole has the best cameras, the best editing software, etc.
Then there is the issue of real-time sex on dating websites. As a rule, most men (gay or straight, or even bisexual) look for sex, while most straight women look for relationships. Gay women look for either sex or relationships, while ALL couples are definitely looking for another person to join them in the bedroom. Of course, the aim of these websites is to find your ideal partner, and of course, its all well and good if and when you do, but the issue is, how do you really know if the person you think your going to meet up with for a good time isn't really an axe-murderer, or worse a paedophile? Recently, of course, it's become painstakingly obvious that where previously, the danger from online dating websites came from meeting up with the physically violent from the other side of the screen, now the danger lies inside the body of the person you think is a decnt guy. For example, the HIV-Positive man who was recently convicted in court for deliberately spreading it around to people he slept with used to be on the website that calls itself 'New Zealand's Premier Online Dating website, NZDating'. How's that for scary?
Mainstream media even makes a point of showing us how scary these are. In Queer As Folk, for example, one of the main characters, an accountant who is shy and not the best looking, gets fired from his job, and decides to open a porn website, and his friend gets sucked in to it (and consequently becomes somewhat of a celebrity in the gay community of Pittsburgh). In Satisfaction, the 14 year old daughter of one of the sex workers decides to lose her virginity by finding a guy on the internet, talking and sometimes even having cybersex with him on a webcam, until her mother discovers it and the daughter's only justification is, 'All my friends are losing theirs, so why shouldn't I?' Never mind the risk of who the person on the other side really is (which is probably also what we as the audience are supposed to think). Sex through technological devices is even spreading to family shows, such as (and I love this show), The Gilmore Girls, where Rory (Alexis Bledel) and her boyfriend Logan (Matt Czuchry) have sex on t he phone one night. Of course, this is the only time in 7 seasons that it occurs, but it nevertheless does occur.
So anyway, that's what I've noticed about technological sex, but I may be wrong (I have been known to be full of it sometimes), so feel free to correct me. :)
Then there is the issue of real-time sex on dating websites. As a rule, most men (gay or straight, or even bisexual) look for sex, while most straight women look for relationships. Gay women look for either sex or relationships, while ALL couples are definitely looking for another person to join them in the bedroom. Of course, the aim of these websites is to find your ideal partner, and of course, its all well and good if and when you do, but the issue is, how do you really know if the person you think your going to meet up with for a good time isn't really an axe-murderer, or worse a paedophile? Recently, of course, it's become painstakingly obvious that where previously, the danger from online dating websites came from meeting up with the physically violent from the other side of the screen, now the danger lies inside the body of the person you think is a decnt guy. For example, the HIV-Positive man who was recently convicted in court for deliberately spreading it around to people he slept with used to be on the website that calls itself 'New Zealand's Premier Online Dating website, NZDating'. How's that for scary?
Mainstream media even makes a point of showing us how scary these are. In Queer As Folk, for example, one of the main characters, an accountant who is shy and not the best looking, gets fired from his job, and decides to open a porn website, and his friend gets sucked in to it (and consequently becomes somewhat of a celebrity in the gay community of Pittsburgh). In Satisfaction, the 14 year old daughter of one of the sex workers decides to lose her virginity by finding a guy on the internet, talking and sometimes even having cybersex with him on a webcam, until her mother discovers it and the daughter's only justification is, 'All my friends are losing theirs, so why shouldn't I?' Never mind the risk of who the person on the other side really is (which is probably also what we as the audience are supposed to think). Sex through technological devices is even spreading to family shows, such as (and I love this show), The Gilmore Girls, where Rory (Alexis Bledel) and her boyfriend Logan (Matt Czuchry) have sex on t he phone one night. Of course, this is the only time in 7 seasons that it occurs, but it nevertheless does occur.
So anyway, that's what I've noticed about technological sex, but I may be wrong (I have been known to be full of it sometimes), so feel free to correct me. :)
"As a rule, most men ... look for sex, while most straight women look for relationships. Gay women look for either sex or relationships, while ALL couples are definitely looking for another person to join them in the bedroom." ... Really? ... Actually, don't answer that!
I do have a problem with that statement as well. It is too generalising and more of provocative statement than having any truth in it....
Well, unfortunately, it is true. I don't usually make sweeping generalisations like that. I'm actually quite ashamed to admit that like most gay/bisexual men, I have been on NZDating. And from my experience(s) on there, that is EXACTLY what people look for on there. Few men look for relationships, few women look for sex, and few couples look for friends. In fact, few people of any sexuality look for friends. To prove me wrong (and you're more than welcome to), by all means, go on the site, and tell me what you see...
In all honesty although I can't speak for straight guys the rest of Nandan's gross generalisations are true, and I never agree with him so that's saying something. The generalisation I found most disturbing is that an axe murderer is more frightening than a paedophile....?