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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Sept. 8, 1993)
M \Uk li \l OKIl)(,r Objectification built in to sex act seems important to recognize without prejudice the differenc es between the sexes. I suspect that a great many of those differences are socialized at an early age, which makes them differences nonetheless. Differences to be dealt with and—within reason—accept ed. But when you’re talking about large numbers of people—gender groups, for instance — some pretty obvious trends seem to emerge. And we can assume that these are not socialized but natural differences — whatever that distinction means. Take as an example the feminist • criticism of male-oriented society, and of men in general, that they tend to objectify women’s bodies—a specif ically gender-based observation. What it means is: Men tend to exalt the object that is a woman’s body above the woman herself. They liter ally make objects out of people. That has all kinds of effects. Pornography, prostitution and fash ions in standards of physical beauty can be traced partly to tnis objectify ing tendency m men. And once you become aware of objectification, you can see it going on constantly in all mediums. Music, photography, literature, everything that passes for art in the advertising world, they all contribute to the idea of woman, and draw our attention away from real, individual women. This criticism of male-oriented society seems clear-headed to me, and true. But I think it’s largely mis understood. I would like—if such a thing were possible—to defend the objectifica tion of women’s bodies by men. Or, if I find that really is impossible, to explain it. Or diffuse the issue that surrounds it. The reason for the phenomenon lies, I suspect, at least partly with the male experience of the sex act. „ - . Objectification is an act of imagi nation. It exalts the imagined over the actual. And for men, the act of sex is centrally an act of imagination and Objectification is an act of imagination. It exalts the imagined over the actual. And for men, the act of sex is centrally an act of imagination and objectification. objectification. In order for coitus to even happen, a man must achieve an erection. The erection: a magical object. Now you see it, now you don’t. An erection is largely an act of imagination made tangible. Men feel strongly about erections, as they would about their personal creations. And they don’t face the loss of an erection with equanimity. An erection is an object that is itself already three-quarters idea. It’s subject to mood, to stray thoughts, to state of health... and men know it. The objectification process begins with men’s own bodies. Many men treat their own penises as if they were separate entities. They give them names, talk about them in the third person and regard them as rollicking friends or traitorous devils. Because, for men, so much de pends on imagination in the sex act— both in achieving and maintaining erections — the act of imagination becomes central to the experience. This requires that men divorce themselves from the moment, one part of the body from another, their feelings about a woman from the act of sex with that woman. Because, as men know, giving oneself over to the feelings of the moment may result in one of two ends: Either nothing happens or ev erything happens too quickly. Men learn to make an internal sep aration to avoid those possibilities. Or they fail to make the separation and suffer for it one way or the other. Either way men tend to make fe tishes of these newly created objects. They exalt the idea of the erection over any actual flaccid state. Ami if they’re successful, everyone is happi er. Of course there are drawbacks, there are dangers. The temporary sus pension can become permanent, and men lose contact with the person they have sex with—even their own bod ies. Because they have learned the art of divorcing themselves from the ac tual moment, they may never master the art of being present in it. Intimacy, aside from the sexact, becomes threat ening and difficult. And women, historically, feel the effects of men’s troubles. Rather than cherishing persons,' men come to cherish bodies mid parts of bodies. It gets so some men can’t see the woman for the hips, or the breasts, or some combination of traits. Everyone can see the nature of the problem, but the nature of the cause is occluded. And remember, this inter nal partitioning is necessary, inescap able by the nature of the act and men’s bodies. Anything that is human can be the source of evil, social or personal. And in the realm of sex all forces are multiplied — until a dilemma that begins in the private heart of a man emerges as violence, abuse and ex ploitation. Any act of internal separation is an act, to some degree, of violence. The key is control of those violent forces because they can’t be simply done away with. The male sexual experience is pe rennial. It will be with us forever. Baldridge b a Malar Ei|lbl Major aad a Dally Nabratkaa colanaltt A ten-collar U1 bays yoa nonstop Midway rides these days: Friday, Sept 3 6 p.m. - midnight * Tuesday, Sept 7 6 p.m. - midnight Wednesday, Sept 8 6 p.m. - midnight Thursday, Sept 9 6 p.m. - midnight Friday, Sept 10 6 p.m. - midnight Saturday, Sept 11 noon - 5 p.m. Sunday, Sept 12 4 p.m. - midnight THE NEBRASKA STATE FAIR BIGGER THAN EVER September 3-12, Lincoln tnteractwe programs on CD-ROM cover entry subject frompolitics to physiology. And they incorporate sound, animation, musk and video dips. So ordinary topics become more ending, involving and relevant. Because a single CD-ROM disc stores more information than 500floppy disks, you’ll be able to instantly access encyclopedias, dictionaries and —■ extensive databases-all with the dick of a mouse. CD-ROM technology bring vast new capabilities to the desktop. Wbkb is why, soon more and more computers will include a CD-ROM drive. Buy one, andyouYe making an investment that will last you well Mo the future. Bring your papers, projects and presentations to lift by incorporating photos, dip art and a huge variety of type fonts-all available on CD-ROM. Piug in a pair of self-powered speakers and the CD-ROM drive plays audio CDs too-so you can work away, while listening to your favorite music. I Macintosh Pronto CD sift pack FREE WU even help you start your own CD-ROM library Macintosh Centre 610 now, also receive the CD-ROM gft pack, two discs that indude an electronic encyclopedia, a dictionary, interactive rock videos, music for your audio CD player and more (worth $327*). Apple MacmiosD tenths bio 8/230 unibCDROki, Macintosh Color Display and Apple Extended Keyboard 11 CD-ROM technology puts libraries of information at your finger- ourCD gift pack. Visit your Apple Campus Reseller today. While yxrte tips, and enables you to work with sound, video and animation. Buy there, ask about financii^ with the Appier Computer Loan: And + the Macintosh Centris" 610 with CD-ROM drive, and you'll also receive discover the power of Macintosh? The power to be your best: V. The CRC Computer Shop* $01 Building - $01N. 10th Street, university of Nebraska, 472-5785, Monday-Friday 8 a.m. to $ p.m. 'Students, faculty and staff status must meet CSC Computer Shop educational purchase qualifications. University ID required to order 'sasssastststsi tsxi^£tsstx:.-jcx e<mm
