Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 6 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 6 of Several

       Video is arguably the medium for the ultimate voyeuristic experience. It doesn't matter if it's G-rated Disneyesque fluff, or the trash that is readily available in the seedy part of town or in the smallest corner of certain video stores. By watching video of all kinds, whether on tv, in cinemas, on DVD, VHS, or on the computer, we, with our imaginations, are quite capable of living vicariously through the actions of any or all of our favorite actors, actors or commentators who we happen to be viewing on the screen. In a sense, we are spying or eavesdropping on these characters, and it sometimes seems almost as if we are part of them, or they are part of us. (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays.]

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 5 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 5 of Several

       What is Voyeuristic Mysticism, you may ask? To the best of my knowledge it is a phrase I have coined myself. It all came to me out of the blue when I was feeling under the weather. It may be hard to explain, but I can start by giving at least a few examples. The aforementioned evil priest embodies the dark side of the term. He is somewhere between Jeffrey Dahmer, Jim Jones ("Let them eat poisoned Kool-Aid "[registered trademark?]) and televangelist Jimmy Swaggart. An arguably more positive version of the purest meaning of the term  is embodied by such people as musicians Jim Morrison ("The Doors"), Prince and gasp, Madonna. All three performers have channeled their spiritual and sexual sides into their music. Listen to their music to see what I mean. In the case of Prince and Madonna, it could be argued that if not for Voyeuristic Mysticism, the balance between their respective spiritual and sexual sides; neither performer would likely have achieved fame, fortune or longevity in the music business. (to be cont'd)

[The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern  student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 4 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 4 of Several

       In addition to Jimmy Stewart innocently spying on the lovely, late Grace Kelly in Alfred Hitchcock's "Rear Window", Scandal Sheets, 900 numbers, etc.; there is now a surplus of tabloid tv. Geraldo, not too long ago, was on five days a week, with two or three different shows. Geraldo, Jerry Springer and Maury Povich, among others, succeed in part because they are experts at finding and coming up with sleazy ideas from the least likely places. Their mottos ought to be: "If it's not tawdry, decadent, lurid, sordid, vile, sleazy or titillating, then you haven't seen it here." As if these guys aren't enough, there is  such shows as  "A Current Affair", "Hard Copy", "Inside Edition", etc. Not only that, but millions of people watch Oprah, Dr. Phil, once watched Morton Downey Jr. and Sally Jessie Raphael and their ilk every day; especially when they have sleazy topics like: "Risque Women Who Love Risky Men Who Hate Risque Women". Another recent addition to the Voyeuristic Garbage Heap are the "Real Crime Killer Cards", sure to be a big hit at a Correctional Facility near you. Perhaps just as bad, there is a novel entitled "Vox", with the plot and dialogue having to do exclusively with so-called  'phone-sex' conversations. The very existence of 'phone-sex' to me is a pretty pathetic commentary on our society. (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays.]

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 3 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 3 of Several

       Every week, Americans rush to supermarkets or convenience stores to check out the latest trash in tabloid scandal-sheets such as the National Enquirer. We buy these scandal-sheets because they print what many of us secretly want to read about. We flock to such trash because they frequently describe the real and imagined failings of our beloved celebrities and reviled politicians alike. In a recent Presidential election, false rumors by the so-called  'Swift Boat Veterans For Truth' ensured that we were cursed with a second term of George W. Bush's reverse-Midas touch. Many other famous people have been brought down by scandal-sheet gossip, lies, rumors and half-truths. People buy scandal-sheets much more than they buy mainstream or supposedly legitimate newspapers.

       Courtesy of the tabloids, we know all about Drew Barrymore's addictions, Danny 'Partridge' Bonaducci's run-ins with the law, all kinds of gossip and rumors about rich and famous actors, musicians and others, and much more information on people's private lives than we really need to know. But as long as many of us buy and crave it, such trash will always be available. (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 2 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 2 of Several

       In America, I have come to the conclusion that we are all living in a voyeuristic society. It is not just AmeriKKKans for David Duke, the reverse-Mensa society who once believed that Dan Quayle was the ideal choice as a vice president or that George W.  Bush would make a good Leader of the Free World; the bozos who believe Rush Limbaugh, Ann(e) Coulter or Sean Hannity are sages of our age; or even Eyewitness Nudes. It is every one of us. Americans are drawn to lurid subjects and sordid details of other people's despairs, miseries, misfortunes, and tragedies, like buzzards are drawn to carrion or moths are drawn to flames. (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay originally appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays] 

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism" Part 1 of Several

Essay: "Voyeuristic Mysticism: A Parody of the Mystical Experience", Part 1 of Several

 [Note: The following is completely fictional; it is weird but very well-written if I say so myself]

       "It started innocently enough. One day while saying Mass I felt a great emptiness. I prayed more and more fervently to try to make the feeling go away, but it remained. To keep my spirits up, I mentally undressed selected nubile females in the Congregation; and it was Good. When the same emptiness returned the next week, I mentally undressed every female that I noticed in the pews. Before long, I was mentally undressing the entire Congregation, regardless of their age or sex; and in spite of the fact that they trusted and believed in me. I was becoming obsessive about it, just as much I once was about theology when I was studying to be a priest in the seminary; and it truly scared me. While I slept, and sometimes while I was awake, I swear I heard voices telling me: " 'Obsession, Compulsion. Do it! Forget sin. Forget God!' " I prayed it would all go away to no avail.

       Soon afterwards, laying on of hands became cheap feels, and even cheaper thrills. Confessions became impromptu gynecological exams. I have put myself in more compromising positions than times I have said 'Amen'. I should have been excommunicated, defrocked, jailed, but I selected the most vulnerable and least likely to come forward of the Congregation. The obsession is growing worse. GUILT, SIN, REPRESSION, SUPPRESSION. The longer I do these terrible things, the less guilty I feel about them. The guiltier I feel though, the worse my obsession becomes..."

         I could imagine on a typical tabloid show: "Today on Geraldo, Perverse Priests." (to be cont'd)

 [The original version of this essay first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern  in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays] 

       

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 5 of 5

Essay: "A Guide To Cryonics", Part 5 of Several

   Some Bad Points of Cryonics:

       Artificial  insemination is fine for breeding endangered species, livestock and thoroughbred horses, but in my opinion should never be used for breeding children. For example, if it is ever possible to bear a child from frozen cells, and without procreation, many difficult dilemmas may result; such as: Who would regulate the procedure?; Who would become the surrogate (nobiological) parent(s)? Would taxpayers have to support such children for their entire lives?, etc.

       Frozen Embryos:

       It is perhaps a good idea to cryogenically preserve  embryos of endangered species of animals and plants if eventual revival becomes possible, but again, such a procedure should (at least in my view) never be done for human beings. Why this should never be done is perfectly illustrated in 2009 by an apparently troubled and basically indigent woman who already had six children by in vitro fertilization and then she felt compelled to have eight embryos implanted in her womb. When those babies are born taxpayers will likely be paying for their well-being; not to mention the price of overpopulation and unnecessary use of resources. And, a couple decades ago, in a court case, an infertile couple managed to get frozen human embryos, and then the couple later divorced. The woman wanted to have the embryos unthawed to either bring them to term herself, or to anonymously donate them to another infertile couple. The man, on the other hand, wanted the embryos destroyed. Unfortunately, the judge sided with the woman's so-called right/hope and the scientifically invalid right to life (confusion between potential life and tangible life) to thaw out the embryos and bring them to term; but, as far as I'm concerned, it was in the best interest of the future of mankind and the planet, that these embryos be destroyed. Frozen embryos may have many possibilities for the future of mankind, but few, if any are good for our species or for the planet itself. Incidentally, after the recent completion of the appeal of this court case, I believe that the new outcome allowed for the destruction of these frozen embryos.  As for the lady with fourteen children (or soon to have that many, assuming they all survive) with, according to Wikipedia,  approximately "6.76 billion people" residing on this planet. There are arguably too many people. There are over a billion people who are starving and undernourished. The land, air and waters are already very pollution. It is selfish for someone to undergo in vitro or to have embryos implanted due to infertility, so, therefore, there should be an international ban on infertility treatments and human embryo implantation. 

[The original version of this essay, entitled "Cryonics" first appeared in Eastern Connecticut State University's Campus Lantern  student newspaper in the early '90s and as part of my unpublished manuscript "In Mediocrity We Trust... In Debt We Die" And Other Essays]