tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post861460531871507209..comments2023-08-20T17:36:35.914+10:00Comments on Soooz Says Stuff: Topic: The Relevance of Sex In Literature in 2011" My Guest today is author Maxwell CynnSoooz Burkehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/02390489724415063410noreply@blogger.comBlogger15125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-41334440447296798402011-07-15T07:05:13.607+10:002011-07-15T07:05:13.607+10:00Intensesensations,
May I humbly recommend a book ...Intensesensations,<br /><br />May I humbly recommend a book for you only because it's my fave read this year, and happens to be written by Maxwell Cynn. It's an incredibly sensual read. Sexy, beautiful, uncensored. You already know he can write based on his article here.<br /><br />The book is CybrGrrl.<br /><br />edenEden Bayleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08043540142363106345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-72897494584301519442011-07-15T04:46:08.511+10:002011-07-15T04:46:08.511+10:00“current YA romance makes what I write seem quaint...“current YA romance makes what I write seem quaint and almost prudish”<br /><br />Please can you recommend something, Maxwell? My bookshelves are bare.<br /><br />I like sex to be unlabelled and unexpected. Is there any hope for me?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-5552206601216150752011-07-14T20:45:36.098+10:002011-07-14T20:45:36.098+10:00Absolutely Max - I totally wasn't advocating c...Absolutely Max - I totally wasn't advocating censorship in politics or anything like that, just saying that what we find offensive is personal to us. I think that's the key with what you say about self-censorship. That has to flow from what we believe as individual artists - from our own consciences and absolutely *not* from what is generally agreed upon. For example, to use the example I cite in my piece - I can write sympathetically about incest or bestiality or someone peeling off their own skin because they believe it's the only answer to their life's worries without anything even registering on my conscience radar but Aggie's Shoes required me, as part of its transgressive aspect, required me to write sympathetically about a racist and I couldn't do it. I don't know if that was self-censorhip or cowardice but the key is this:<br /><br />self-censorship *must* mean an author censors according to *their own* values *whatever they are* and not anyone else's perception of what should be done - otherwise it's not*self*-censorhip, it's peer pressure.<br /><br />Eden, those three "piss" statements are really good examples of context. Makes me think of Gilbert and George's infamous Dirty Words series of artworks and, of course, this piece of art http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Piss_Christ that I'm not even going to mention the name of because some people will find it too offensive - there, self-censorship :)Dan Hollowayhttp://danholloway.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-83150761868417057462011-07-14T13:12:45.894+10:002011-07-14T13:12:45.894+10:00Excellent post, Max, and great comments by all. I&...Excellent post, Max, and great comments by all. I'll touch on a your theme of "censorship” and “restraint.”<br /><br />I recall George Carlin's seven words you could not say on TV back in the early 70s- Shit, Piss, Fuck, Cunt, Cocksucker, Motherfucker and Tits. Ok, so it was almost 40 years ago, but in the whole scheme of things, it’s really not that long ago to have a culture shift occur. Now you can turn on the TV any day of the week, (not necessarily even prime time), and hear any of these words. They are used regularly on late night talk shows and likely the news too (FOX, for sure!)<br /><br />Of all the words listed, the only one I think would still make some people wince is cunt. Yes, CUNT. I actually love the word because it is so powerful, but do I use it sparingly? Without a doubt. <br /><br />When I call someone a cunt, it’s because that person is behaving in the most awful rude manner and there is just no other word better to describe it. <br /><br />I also use ‘cunt’ in my writing to describe the female genitalia, which to me is beautiful and bears no resemblance to the meaning ascribed above.<br /><br />My point is that words carry power; but that power is something WE give it. It’s the volition behind the word that either classifies it as vulgar or not.<br /><br />To say “I’m going for a piss” is not the same as “I’m going to take the piss out of you” which is also not the same as “I’m going to piss on your grave.” Simply put – to ban words is ridiculous because they carry a different meaning within a specific context.<br /><br />In your post you say, “The words have power because they are rare and unexpected.” I agree with you, and in writing, it’s restraint of certain words that creates this power. <br /><br />edenEden Bayleehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/08043540142363106345noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-58653251394350037062011-07-14T11:25:27.662+10:002011-07-14T11:25:27.662+10:00Thanks again for all the great comments. This whol...Thanks again for all the great comments. This whole series so far has been great. Thank you Soooz! You're awesome! And thanks for letting me be a little part of it.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14255711715506662271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-30826992796546194032011-07-14T11:22:03.996+10:002011-07-14T11:22:03.996+10:00Dan, I look forward to your post. I don't advo...Dan, I look forward to your post. I don't advocate censorship except in the form of writers being responsible in what they write. Literature sculpts a culture, as all art does, more than politics ever can. Politics are the outgrowth of our pluralistic society, but art is the expression of who we are as a people.<br /><br />Words have power. I'm reminded of the adage "The pen is mightier than the sword." Our words not only reflect society, but mold it, influence it, for good or ill. We may argue what is best, though most can agree what is harmful. But the debate in politics will sway few, while literature and art informs generations. <br /><br />My point isn't conservative, liberal, progressive, or whatever political agenda one may esspouse. We can build whatever world/society we choose, but we should be honest enough to admit our part in its current and future state.Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14255711715506662271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-73110878520889673552011-07-14T06:22:34.263+10:002011-07-14T06:22:34.263+10:00Pete, no offence intended at all - I'll be tal...Pete, no offence intended at all - I'll be talking at greater length about what I mean in my post on the 17th :) I was more making the point that if we accept censorship at all in principle, then why draw the line at sex/violence/language just because some or even most people think they are sensitive, when other people don't think that, or think other things are?Dan Hollowayhttp://danholloway.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-55630971840298144252011-07-14T05:02:44.869+10:002011-07-14T05:02:44.869+10:00oops. excuse the typos...oops. excuse the typos...Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-3809623442858284262011-07-14T05:01:53.943+10:002011-07-14T05:01:53.943+10:00"I never want to see Parental Advisory labels..."I never want to see Parental Advisory labels slapped on the cover of books, nor publishers attempt to censor Free Speech, but writers do bear responsibility for their words whether they wish to admit it or not. With YA, and even Middle Grade fiction taking on ever more mature tone, Adult and Erotic fiction push the extremes to compensate. Writers are why the sensibilities of censors are inflamed. When teen heroes are slinging f-bombs and teen heroines are playing the slut it's hard to blame parents for being upset with contemporary fiction."<br /><br />When I was a teenager, I totally didn't "get" the mothers of the quieter, more naive kids. Why a ban a book because it said "fucking" (and didn't allude to the verb? <br /><br />But times have changed from the early nineties to now. Back then, Judy Blume was exception. Now she'd be the rule. I'm against censorship in all forms. But you're right. Flooding the YA and teen market with sex and gratuitous violence may just desensitize us. I let me 7th grader read what she wants to, within reason, and ask her to postpone certain titles that I don't think she's ready for...but I have to wonder what the future for these kids looks like. I worry.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-86597197797582364662011-07-14T03:12:40.049+10:002011-07-14T03:12:40.049+10:00Excellent post, well-reasoned. And I couldn't ...Excellent post, well-reasoned. And I couldn't agree more.Diane Nelsonhttp://www.idancewithwords.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-33983379913148760762011-07-14T02:36:47.676+10:002011-07-14T02:36:47.676+10:00Hey, Pete! Good to see you.
Everyone, thanks for ...Hey, Pete! Good to see you.<br /><br />Everyone, thanks for the great comments. I'm on myphone so it's hard to reply as I should. Be on later with a keyboard ;)Anonymoushttps://www.blogger.com/profile/14255711715506662271noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-68122900708280110412011-07-13T23:58:28.225+10:002011-07-13T23:58:28.225+10:00Dan old boy, when I put up the cover art of my sho...Dan old boy, when I put up the cover art of my short story collection for comment on FB (a mid-1800's painting of a bare chested Mary Magdalene in agony, by Jean-Jacques Henner called "Solitude") it wasn't - oddly - some of my less-than-right-wing writer friends told me to cover her up.<br /><br />What's up with that?Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-23188847119145424312011-07-13T23:54:23.061+10:002011-07-13T23:54:23.061+10:00Hiya Sooz - and hi Max! Long time no see. "Ma...Hiya Sooz - and hi Max! Long time no see. "Make them strain against the bonds." I love that.Anonymousnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-78543693078210684962011-07-13T23:50:05.567+10:002011-07-13T23:50:05.567+10:00I don't want to pre-empt my post too much but ...I don't want to pre-empt my post too much but I have to say on the censorship of sex and language thing I just don't get it. For me a single Republican/Conservative Party political broadcast will do more to damage our youth than any and every swear word under the sun. But that's just my point of view. And that, as it were, is the point. Some people think showing sex and bad language is bad and should be censored. Right wing politics makes me sick to my stomach. Both are opinions about what's OK and what's not OK. I just don't see the *logic* in saying one set of opinions is privileged over another - other than that it's to do with the majority. Which makes sense. But the kind of sense that also makes me sick to my stomach and provides a very worthy line against which to push.Dan Hollowayhttp://danholloway.wordpress.comnoreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-43905348168571177.post-10365389736211819112011-07-13T22:36:29.475+10:002011-07-13T22:36:29.475+10:00Excellent post! I completely agree. I recently r...Excellent post! I completely agree. I recently read "The Hunger Games" and was shocked by the topics in this YA book; however, the adult themes in the book were appropriately handled, and the book accomplished what it set out to do.<br /><br />I, too, have wondered about this trend setting need to be as shocking as possible. For example, on TV, viewers never used to see people actually vomit on-camera. Now it is the order of the day. (And something I really don't want to watch!)<br /><br />I'm not being prudish (I hope), but I do appreciate the build-up, as you say. I read Gone with the Wind last winter and thought it was a surprisingly hot romance (given that it was actually so tame.)<br /><br />Personally, I think that the 'one-up-manship' is a lazy writer's way of trying to engage the audience.Michelle Scotthttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05345377357560724790noreply@blogger.com