Shmirah Musing

(8/3/2006)

"Deep Thoughts, with Jack Handy: I was on shmirah and suddenly wondered If sex didn't exist, would we (have to) invent it?" Me, to Orahn. 21st Feb.

That is, is the expression of ultimate trust and love arbitrary, such that one could theoretically replace sexual intercourse with, say, a secret handshake? A handshake that would then be guarded and beset with all social restrictions and taboos that make sexual encounters so important?

Think about it: salutations seem to be arbitrary -- in America, we shake hands, while in Japan, they bow. In desert cultures, perhaps they spit at each other like in Dune [water is precious in the desert, and so that becomes a sign of respect]. So we could theoretically interchange those salutations, presumably. So the question is: is sex similarly interchangeable with something else (like a handshake), or does it contain an inherent unique expression that would merit its [re]invention if it somehow went missing from human society? Is the act itself capacious, or is it symbolic only? Is it Something, or does it only Refer to Something -- Point to Something?

Well, literature, both popular and vulgar has described the act as a dance, a song, as rough or gentle, with lights and colors and sound, in poetic ways that always risk crossing the line of cliche. So it seems to me that it would indeed need to be invented, and its position at the height of expression is not arbitrary. It must be an artistic expression, revealing the inner dance and song and laser light and sound show of the soul, and nothing else would do.

For that matter, neither are the salutations that I offered as a parallel example earlier on. What do I mean? Well, handshakes are a salutation...that also expresses an optimistic ideal of equality between partners; bowing is a salutaion by way of a gesture of respect, reflecting the distinct heirarchy and values of that different culture. An Eskimo Kiss (rubbing noses) reflects both the historical situation (only faces/noses are exposed to the elements, so what else can you "shake"?), but also engender a familial, trusting hello.

And this is what I was thinking on shmirah, after dealing with the Church and State issue.