The title says it all.

“Surrender to the feeling” is the message of much erotic literature. At least readers are invited to witness characters surrendering to their feelings, sometimes against their own principles. In noir-flavored erotica, common sense usually fights a losing battle with Passion, which is shown to be stronger than good intentions. This is the message of some of our oldest stories. One-sided, self-destructive love doesn’t contribute to serenity or long life, but it makes for great opera.

The more practical messages of self-help literature (e.g. “Use your head” and “Save yourself“) often look philistine in comparison. But what if a good hard look at the object of one’s desire by sober daylight could shift that desire an inch or two? If a collective passion for, say, big hairstyles from the 1980s can change quickly, maybe the mystique of certain Alpha Males could be debunked with a little eye-rolling as well.

From what I’ve seen, a Cold Bastard is more likely to be shallow and self-obsessed than deep, mysterious or strong. At best, he is not suited to the one who wants him, and at worst, he is lacking some essential ingredient that enables most human beings to bond with others. If all else fails, a cold shower followed by a run over sharp rocks could be as intense an experience as a close encounter with a cold man. With all due respect to those who find such characters compelling, I would rather leave the monster in the dungeon.

*The feast day of St. Francis is October 4. Since he was the patron saint of animals, this is the one day in a year when Christians can bring their pets to church!

Jean Roberta
October 2010

“Sex Is All Metaphors” © 2010 Jean Roberta. All rights reserved. Content may not be copied or used in whole or part without written permission from the author.