We as humans live in a tangible, solid, very real world. But we also have the ability of abstract thoughts, and can think up ideas and ideals that have no real physical representation like the idea of "freedom" or mathematic formulas.
Now the problem is. Most people have not a very true, real connection to these ideals, even if they understand them and use them. They might know that 4/4=1 is correct. They might understand it. But they don't see the infinity beauty in it, the glamour, the splendor, the wonder, the amazement of this mathematic statement.
This is where art and music comes in. Techno has a 4/4 beat, and when listening to this beat they can feel some of the power and wonder that the to them otherwise banal statement 4/4=1 incorporates.
Art, music, books, movies essentially form an intermediary realm between the real world and abstract thinking, ideas and ideal. It makes ideals accessible to people. Take the ideal of "freedom". It was an ideal that inflamed millions, but to the normal westerner these days it often doesn't hold much glamour anymore. They don't fight for a revolution or other forms of large scale freedom anymore. But when they see a movie about a man or woman with a rebel spirit, a road movie for example, they can sense some of the power and magic the ideal "freedom" does possess.
Art and forms of art are something that is physical and can be touched, seen, recorded or listened, but at the same time it is rooted in the abstract and purely intellectual. It builds a bridge between these two things.
In a sense it is even preferable to purely ideal and abstract thinking; as it gives shape and forms to ideals and abstraction. But the ideal roots must not be forgotten.
More and more people are aware of this intermediary nature of art, as they try with cosplay, fan fiction, millions of other fan activities, movie binging, or creating art themselves, to put their "everyday life" closer to the world of art. And art is really in a world of its own.
No One Needs Sex
The modern sex craze has reached it's high. If you turn on the television - modern sex. If you open the newspaper - modern sex. If you go to the web - modern sex. If there is a new music video, regardless of rap, rock, pop or dance you can be almost certain it's full of almost nude women swinging their "bits". If you read about celebrities it's quite likely it's about a new sex scandal. I followed some "high brow" radio or TV documentaries about famous artists and even there the narrator seemed to focus on the question - who did the artist have sex with? When Kafka's "porn collection" was discovered, this was news. Since then: his stories were not.
Modern sex is everywhere all all encompassing. And everyone is supposed to have modern sex - everyone needs his or her FWB or gets banged by his boss or prof. or have lovers on the side, and so on.
The underlying idea here is: you *need* to have sex. But no. You don't.
It's just a belief with extreme social pressure at its base. Just as medieval people thought they could not live without "god", so the modern westerner thinks he could not go without sex. But in both cases - they would not perish without their object of desire.
The media brainwash plays a huge role there - as you really cannot escape the media sex, people assume they could not escape sex at all.
This idea, that everyone needs sex, creates three problems:
Some people have it easy to get sex. Some "normally complicated". And for some it's hard.
For the latter group, to assume they depend on sex while it's unattainable will generate a lot of trouble. Low self-worth, anger, depression, even suicide. These people could have it so much easier if they just forget about their sex drive for a while.
Second, in the light of #MeToo, the idea that you *need* sex leads to a lot of dangerous ideas. The idea that man have an incontrollable sex drive so if they meet a beautiful model or celeb they are essentially bound to abuse her. What bullshit! And that the victim secretly wanted it too because all humans secretly want sex. Even worse bullshit.
The third problem is; if you're ruled by sex this is like being ruled by alcohol, by cocaine, by gambling and everything else. If you can't get free of your sex drive, you are not a free man.
A lot of people think you can't get free of sexual desires; first, who said "all free" is the starting point; curbing them a bit would already be worthwhile. Second, "modern sex" is to a large part an illusion, a mass media product. People stick to it because they believe in it like a religion; and they behave like it then because they believe it, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. But like any religion, you won"t get hit by lightning if you leave that religion.
It's possible to overcome your sex drive and the sex craze. It can be done. No one needs sex.
But the point is not to be anti-sex. Have as much sex as you want. But don't be frustrated when you have none for a while.
And don't let yourself be controlled by your desires. Learn to control your desires.
I will also add that almost spiritual paths involve curbing your sex life a bit. Maybe they got something right?
Modern sex is everywhere all all encompassing. And everyone is supposed to have modern sex - everyone needs his or her FWB or gets banged by his boss or prof. or have lovers on the side, and so on.
The underlying idea here is: you *need* to have sex. But no. You don't.
It's just a belief with extreme social pressure at its base. Just as medieval people thought they could not live without "god", so the modern westerner thinks he could not go without sex. But in both cases - they would not perish without their object of desire.
The media brainwash plays a huge role there - as you really cannot escape the media sex, people assume they could not escape sex at all.
This idea, that everyone needs sex, creates three problems:
Some people have it easy to get sex. Some "normally complicated". And for some it's hard.
For the latter group, to assume they depend on sex while it's unattainable will generate a lot of trouble. Low self-worth, anger, depression, even suicide. These people could have it so much easier if they just forget about their sex drive for a while.
Second, in the light of #MeToo, the idea that you *need* sex leads to a lot of dangerous ideas. The idea that man have an incontrollable sex drive so if they meet a beautiful model or celeb they are essentially bound to abuse her. What bullshit! And that the victim secretly wanted it too because all humans secretly want sex. Even worse bullshit.
The third problem is; if you're ruled by sex this is like being ruled by alcohol, by cocaine, by gambling and everything else. If you can't get free of your sex drive, you are not a free man.
A lot of people think you can't get free of sexual desires; first, who said "all free" is the starting point; curbing them a bit would already be worthwhile. Second, "modern sex" is to a large part an illusion, a mass media product. People stick to it because they believe in it like a religion; and they behave like it then because they believe it, it becomes a self fulfilling prophecy. But like any religion, you won"t get hit by lightning if you leave that religion.
It's possible to overcome your sex drive and the sex craze. It can be done. No one needs sex.
But the point is not to be anti-sex. Have as much sex as you want. But don't be frustrated when you have none for a while.
And don't let yourself be controlled by your desires. Learn to control your desires.
I will also add that almost spiritual paths involve curbing your sex life a bit. Maybe they got something right?
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