Tuesday, March 13, 2007

Bringing Sexy Back to the Return Counter

I have grown increasingly impatient with the use of the word "sexy" today. Just last week, a advertisement flashed across my screen for a movie where it was described as "glorious," "breathtaking," and "SEXY!"
The word "sexy" popped up right when images of a sex scene popped up, which lead me to wonder, "Why are they calling the movie sexy?" I can't be because there is sex in it; to say that sex is sexy is to be redundant.
Of course, the reason movies are called "sexy" is because a part of their nature is sexual, i.e., some of their elements are meant to arouse sexual impulses. This arousal is unanimously considered by the whose-who of the world as commendable, whether it be an element of movies or even fashion (how many times on What Not to Wear does Staci say something to the effect of, "That is sexy!" or "Let's build your sex appeal."). Sex is now a virtue.

But what about beauty?

Oh, I'm sorry, beauty is in the eye of the beholder, right? In other words, it is subjective. There is no real beauty in the world, just what you say is beauty. Remember, the idea that beauty is a transcendent element that represents a standard to be met is offensive.
Of course, sex is different. Sex is only biological. We can measure it chemically and physically, and observe and experience it in real time. There's nothing transcendent, spiritual, or metaphysical about it. It can't offend anyone (except prudes) because there is no standard to meet (except the one's that Hollywood create).

I'm returning the idea of "sexy is a virtue" to the return counter because "sexy" is a constant reminder of our societies loss of transcendent, objective values. The use of "sexy" as a commendable quality drops beauty and sex down to the visceral, to the merely animal. Beauty is no longer an inherent quality that we respond to on some deeper level than the physical (soul anyone?); beauty is subjective. Sex is no longer the physical and spiritual unity on the two sexes into one whole being, a beautiful picture of self-sacrifice and surrender; sex is merely animality in action.

Perhaps we'll realize that their are higher qualities than the physical, qualities that elevate the physical to the divine. "Sexy," however, is merely the abolition of man. So I want my money back.

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