It looks like the geekhouse is back online. Hooray for broadband!

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There is an interesting review of the movie Demonlover up on ++salon. I would recommend you read it but you can't unless you pay (they might still have the ad-based access, not sure). Interestingly, I found the reviewer's comments about society far more interesting than those about the movie. He seems to contend that the movie is, at least in part, a statement about the effect of technology on our ability to be moved in some way by art. In essence, the more we see, the less we feel (we become inured to violence, etc). In the context of the movie, violent sexual acts have become a commodity.

Personally, I think there is some modicum of truth to this. I don't think that technology is solely to blame, however. I would have to say that the commodification of anything depends upon the existence of a market. It seems to be something of a chicken and egg problem, however. Marketeers work to expand markets.

(at this point an english teacher could properly nail me for not drawing a clear connection between the ideas of commodification and desensitization... oh well. I don't write outlines. I suppose as a feeble defense I could place refusal, acceptance, commodification, and desensitization on a spectrum.)

It would be interesting to know if, for instance, there has been an increase in hetero couples having anal sex that can be correlated to the frequency of it's occurrence in porn. I'm sure there are probably statistics on this. I wonder also if people present at the scenes of violent crimes are standing around bodies saying "Hey, wow! It's just like in the movies, dude."

What do you think? Are our media (both traditional and "new") robbing us of our ability to feel?

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I can't believe Johnny Cash is dead. Rest in peace.

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