nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (Doug Alan) (08/02/85)
> From: abh6509@ritcv.UUCP (A. Hudson) > I ask you, can we talk? Sure. > Lets talk about Kate Bush's sexual preferences. Listen to "The Infant > Kiss" - the lyrics propound the virtues of sexual attraction with with > a grossly underage youth. This is sodomy! It is illegal in most of > these United States as it is considered statuatory rape. (1) That's not what the song is about. (2) And so what if it were? I said that perpetuating the idea that sex is taboo or wrong is bad. If Kate Bush were saying that it's okay for adults and children to communicate sexually, then she would be doing ANYTHING BUT perpuating the idea that sex is taboo. In that case, it wouldn't even be wrong for children. Of course, in our society, this is not a very good idea, because the fact that sex still IS taboo in many ways can cause all sorts of nasty psycholigical problems for children that get invloved with sex too early. But if society were perfect, and sex were not taboo, and jealousy were not considered a valid emotion, etc., then it would probably be perfectly okay for children to be active sexually. John Varley, a very good SF author, writes all sorts of stories in a semi-utopian future where children are sexually active at a young age, parental and sibling incest are normal, heterosexuality, homosexuality, and transexuality are considered perfectly healthy. But in any case, "The Infant Kiss" is not a song about a woman who is trying to seduce a little boy. A track that's been picked on by slavering pervomoralists and them who don't bother to listen is "The Infant Kiss", a gentle item about a woman disturbed by the feelings a little boy draws out of her. A taboo subject, but handled in a lullaby refrain with incisive but tender nongross lyrics. -- Kris Needs (Zig Zag) It is based on a movie called "The Innocents", which in turn is based on a book called "The Turn of the Screw". The story is one of a woman who's job it is to take care of two children, a boy and a girl. The two children become possessed by the spirits of two dead adults that used to live in the house and the possessed boy now has experience far beyond his age, and tries to seduce the woman. The woman doesn't know what is going on is having trouble dealing with her emotions. I cannot sit and let Something happen I'll regret, Ooh, he scares me, There's a man behind those eyes I catch him when I'm bending, Ooh, how he frightens me, When they whisper privately, Windy-wailey, blows me, Words of caress on their lips, That speak of adult love. I want to smack, but I hold back, I only want to touch. > I ask you, is this "healthier" than the casual recreational > sex that is implied by Mms. Madonna? I never said that I thought Madonna was harmful because she writes about sex as a recreational activity. Why don't you read what I say? Jeez! I said that Madonna's image is harmful because she projects sex as a tool to manipulate people with and perpuates the idea of sex being taboo. I think that Kate Bush's ideas about sex are just about the healthiest I've ever seen in anyone. There's nothing wrong with sex seen as something that doesn't necesarrily involve a long-term relationship -- in fact it's completely okay with me. Kate Bush has several perfectly wonderful songs (that are much more explicit than Madonna ever is) about things such as one night stands. I even talked about one of them in the posting to which you are replying. From "Feel It" (from "The Kick Inside"): The glorious union, well, it could be love Or it could be just lust, but it will be fun It will be wonderful ... So keep on a-moving in, keep on a-tuning in Synchronize rhythm now There is even a song on "The Kick Inside" (the title song), which is about sibling incest without viewing it as wrong or taboo: This kicking here inside makes me leave you behind No more under the quilt to keep you warm Your sister I was born -- you must lose me Like an arrow shot into the killer storm The tragedy here is that society views the relationship between the brother and the sister as being abhorent and causes the sister to commit suicide. I think that Madonna's image is disgusting because she capitalizes on the fact that sex is taboo rather than trying to discontinue this hang-up of society. She projects sex not as a natural and healthy part of life -- but as a tool to manipulate people with. And something to be enjoyed because it is wrong -- because it forbidden fruit -- BECAUSE it IS taboo. She doesn't present herself as a well-rounded person, but as a bellybutton, and maybe that bellybutton is connected to some delicious forbidden fruit, but you'll only get to taste it if you let her manipulate you ("You've got to prove your love to me"). She a tease. It's grotesque! > I think not, maybe we should think twice before harping > pedastalled virtues. Sick! Sick! Sick! Maybe you should think twice before baring your hang-ups on the net! "There behind your open fangs There lies an awful lot of space" Doug Alan nessus@mit-eddie.UUCP (or ARPA)