Beating a dead horse
Feb. 6th, 2004 04:34 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
thistlechaserHard (![[livejournal.com profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/external/lj-userinfo.gif)
hardartist), the writer/artist of Sexy Losers (and The Thin H-Line before it), made a post about his place in the comic world, and how "mainstream" artists look down upon him. Today he made a follow-up post which has some interesting and timely points. (He's American, but he's been living in Japan for the past many years.)
"And I live in a place that shares the fascination [sex]. Nudity is commonplace in manga and anime, even those aimed at kids. In December, when it's calendar buying time, the latest nude calendars are proudly hung from the walls of bookstores. Porn is read openly on trains and in raamen shops, the sex trade is alive and well, and love hotels are available everywhere should you feel the need to have sex with someone you're with for a couple of hours."
And yet here, on a show that was about little more than violence and "beer is good and required to have fun" ads, people are in a uproar about a breast being shown. In fact, a Tennessee woman is suing Janet Jackson and others involved over seeing *gasp* a breast. (I know, I know. Us women can't take seeing breasts! Such foreign objects to us!)
Not only do I not understand this, I don't want to understand it. I want prostitution to be legal. I parents not to cover kids' eyes when a naked human body is in view. I want nudity on prime time TV. I want women to be permitted to go topless in any place a man can.
I wish there was a chance in hell of any of that happening in my lifetime.
hardartist), the writer/artist of Sexy Losers (and The Thin H-Line before it), made a post about his place in the comic world, and how "mainstream" artists look down upon him. Today he made a follow-up post which has some interesting and timely points. (He's American, but he's been living in Japan for the past many years.)"And I live in a place that shares the fascination [sex]. Nudity is commonplace in manga and anime, even those aimed at kids. In December, when it's calendar buying time, the latest nude calendars are proudly hung from the walls of bookstores. Porn is read openly on trains and in raamen shops, the sex trade is alive and well, and love hotels are available everywhere should you feel the need to have sex with someone you're with for a couple of hours."
And yet here, on a show that was about little more than violence and "beer is good and required to have fun" ads, people are in a uproar about a breast being shown. In fact, a Tennessee woman is suing Janet Jackson and others involved over seeing *gasp* a breast. (I know, I know. Us women can't take seeing breasts! Such foreign objects to us!)
Not only do I not understand this, I don't want to understand it. I want prostitution to be legal. I parents not to cover kids' eyes when a naked human body is in view. I want nudity on prime time TV. I want women to be permitted to go topless in any place a man can.
I wish there was a chance in hell of any of that happening in my lifetime.
![[identity profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/openid.png){kind=small}
no subject
Date: 2004-02-06 06:44 pm (UTC)Sounds good to me! :-)
Seriously, I don't understand at all the whole Sex Is The Root Of Evil concept, but it's a core value for a lot of Americans, sadly. I'm also not entirely on board with Nudity == Sex, but at least that's understandable.
I think the MTV ads with Britany Spears that aired during the super bowl showed a _lot_ more skin than Ms. Jackson, anyway. It's all an act of who can out-hypocracize the last person. Bah.
Re:
Date: 2004-02-06 08:11 pm (UTC)*laughs* I figured most guys wouldn't mind that much! ;)
Agreed on both parts... and if I could explain it to you, I would! Oh well...
Thanks!
no subject
Date: 2004-02-06 09:04 pm (UTC)Re:
Date: 2004-02-06 10:06 pm (UTC)No way! Think how high my water bill would go up, what with me needing to turn the hose on you two all the time!
no subject
Date: 2004-02-06 10:17 pm (UTC)I want women to be permitted to go topless in any place a man can.
You know, I was wishing that a few days ago. It'd make the summers more bearable, that's for sure.
If I become an aunt, I'm so taking my brother's kids to the art museum. Mua-hah-hah.
Re:
Date: 2004-02-06 10:35 pm (UTC)If I become an aunt, I'm so taking my brother's kids to the art museum. Mua-hah-hah.
I tried that with my sister's kids, but she was oddly protective of them. One would think people didn't trust me not to corrupt the innocent!
no subject
Date: 2004-02-07 02:45 am (UTC)But yeah, I hate the way nudity and sex is hidden, there isn't so much rape or anything in japan, and they have some pretty kinky things...but here it's all sheltered and look at all the rape there is here.
Re:
Date: 2004-02-07 08:15 am (UTC)Exactly. Same thing with breasts: We all needed them for food, but suddenly they become evil? Bah. Stupid uptight people.
Re:
Date: 2004-02-07 11:17 am (UTC)no subject
Date: 2004-02-07 10:20 am (UTC)Hell yeah. And the fact that this isn't permitted makes me wish that our cultural/social values would evolve faster, please. >_>
>I wish there was a chance in hell of any of that happening in my lifetime.<
So yeah, I definitely understand how you feel here. ~sigh~