Current social mores are at
the very least confusing, but at worst, hypocritical. And without the guidance of traditional moral
virtues will continue to be so.
Societies have over the ages
gone and progressed a lot, but a little examination will reveal that in spite
of all this, we still continue to pursue activities that in truth expose us to
greater dangers from the baseness or coarseness of our primordial instincts as
human beings. We like to celebrate how
far we have untied ourselves from the prudishness of yesteryears while at the
same time have curbed the prurient tendencies that sat at the other extreme. But we appear to have leaned too much one
way, at the grave expense of the other.
These stubborn concerns came
to the fore when the results of a beauty pageant were thrust into the world
stage because of an error committed by the emcee. The end result was that instead of the
candidate initially proclaimed, the real winner was the participant coming from
the Philippines. And the entire world it
seems is in a gnarled twist not so much about the pageant itself, but about the
unintended ramifications on all the parties concerned – from the candidates to
the emcee, the countries represented. It
would appear further that countries of the participants are being suckered in
to get involved in this petty controversy like it had the makings of serious national
security issues. This news eclipsed many of the more pressing news in the
world, relegating them to the sidelines until maybe when all this pageant
brouhaha subsides or spends itself to ennui.
Many no doubt, and they
indeed did based on entries/comments on social media and other on-line sources,
wonder why the fuss about all this.
It is the usual run-of-mill
beauty contest after all, where women are paraded around publicly before
adoring eyes of judges, mostly male, in different sessions of dress and
undress. From traditional attire to the
skimpiest of attire, passing as bathing suits.
The latter of course getting the most attention and media coverage. Thus, when in the news it is expected to see
a gallery of these women baring all that exercise, diet, sun, cosmetics, or
what have you, have enhanced in the natural beauty nature has gifted to their
bodies from birth. These contests do
have segments where their mental acuities are tested, like a question or two about
some worldly concerns such as peace, wars, etc.
And of course, a talent segment where these ladies get a chance to show
their favorite hobbies whether singing, declaiming, or playing an
instrument. But truth be told, the
contest is about how well physically developed their bodies are and more to the
point, how desirable they appear to those countless males looking for partners
to mate.
One can then say sensuality becomes a critical measure in picking the likely
winners.
I doubt anybody will dispute
that any normal, healthy, hetero-male exposed to such paragons of desirability
and sensuality, and being allowed or allowing himself to savor those moments,
does not instinctively feel his desires for procreation stirred up and
started. And I say, instinctively, with
not much prodding.
And the popularity and
pervasiveness of beauty pageants, from the local, to the national, to the
international, have created different niches in different industries inexorably
developing to a point where it won’t be long, this will become an industry all
its own. From cosmetics and outlets such
as stores and parlors, to physical fitness trainers, to coaches of different
modalities, etc. Already certain So.
American countries are noted for such push to ensure winners in their
contestants.
And these thorny moral issues
are true not just in beauty pageants, but in a gallery of socially acceptable
activities that we now have permeating all levels of our societies.
We go next to the modelling
business which traditionally had been intended to highlight the creations of
those who manufacture apparel and various accessories. Now we know that instead of the clothes, the
ones wearing them get more attention and benefits. The men and women, but mostly the latter,
have become the centerpieces of this industry.
And like beauty pageants, the lady models have become the luscious bits
to be ogled at. And these same ladies
have gladly obliged by parading in the barest of clothing and in most seductive
poses. And again a critical factor in popularity is the degree of sensuality
exuded.
To digress, read an online
item about how the models of a famous lingerie store behave when they are off
the limelight. That they allow or pose
themselves being photographed without those little patches of cloth passing for
lingerie. How shallow, when for all
intents and purposes they have already paraded themselves naked in front of
throngs of animated people.
Then we have the glittering
world of Hollywood which feeds us our just desserts via movies, TV programs,
etc. It is typical fare now to see episodes
of scantily-clad or immodestly-clad actresses in scenes of “simulated” sex as
naked as it can get. Never mind the foul
language thrown every which way. It does
deserve it then to be called soft-porn when such scenes are described. But again hypocrisy shows its slip when we
read that one particular actor whose real girlfriend was in the movie with him
that they actually had real sex for the movie.
No simulation there it seems to say.
So far what we have described
are currently all acceptable socially, with the caveat of course, that there are
“strict” rules governing these.
Now comes the kicker. Porn, or hard-core porn as differentiated
from Hollywood’s soft porn.
Personally, I do not see much
differences. Many “adult” actresses
are just as physically gifted, some very knowledgeable and articulate on
different subjects, with some even very adept at marketing (themselves) and
creating business. But they do leave
nothing to the imagination, and everything is real. No simulations there. And porn is still socially taboo in most places,
though very pervasive and well patronized.
Its secretive patrons stealthily partake mostly in darkened solitude,
and speak in hushed whispers when dealing with the subject. It is also a highly regulated activity, both
as to form as well as for health requirements.
So where are we going as a
society? With regard to morality, and
maybe, with regard to our respect for women as co-equal partners of men, rather
than just as objects of wanton desire?
In our polite society most of
us know how to behave morally and to regard our fellowmen, but our actions
sometimes do not jibe, though we still pretentiously maintain our supposedly
high moral stance. How different to the
brutal savagery shown by certain groups in the Middle East, where their actions
are fully synched with the warped beliefs they cling to.
