Friday, 29 May 2009

I say we take off and nuke the planet from orbit. It's the only way to be sure.

I woke up yesterday all perky and keen to carry on with the climactic scene of the short story I'm working on. Then during my morning blog-trawl I came across this post on Ms Naughty's excellent blog. And I got really upset. I spent most of the rest of the day in painful monologues along the theme of "What the fuck is WRONG with Men? /Australians? /The Whole Human Race?"

It hit me particularly hard because it's a report about a team of sportsmen involved in a gang rape. And I happen to be writing a story about a team of sportmen involved in group sex with one woman. It's really hard to feel positive and sexy about a particular subset of humanity when what you actually want to do is take a baseball bat to their faces.
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7 comments:

  1. Nikki Magennis29 May 2009 at 11:15

    Wow, that must be the opposite of serendipity, eh?

    Ms Naughty's quite right. I think there must be something thoroughly rotten in the state of Oz. Lately I find I'm despairing more than usual, is that just me? Or has the collective IQ fallen off a cliff recently?

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  2. neve black29 May 2009 at 12:50

    I love your image here, Janine.

    I read the story. It made me sick to my stomach. Tiis is why I believe in reincarnation. I think we are forced to learn our lessons in life, until we get it right - In this life or the next. Some people are forced to learn their lesson when they come back again as a cockroach.

    I think your story sounds wonderful and concensual. :-)

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  3. Erobintica29 May 2009 at 14:01

    I can see how it would be difficult to work on that story having read this news. For good or bad, it has changed your story - it will be hard, no, make that pretty much impossible to write it how you intended to write it. Put it aside or just let yourself write however it will go - you can always edit later.

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  4. Janine Ashbless29 May 2009 at 15:39

    It's certainly not just Oz, Nikki. How often do we hear about sportsmen in Britain being accused of rape? - only it never gets to a successful prosecution.

    It's the dark side of the Warrior archetype.

    Thanks Neve: reincarnation does have the advantage of administering both justice and redemption, if you can wait long enough.

    And as for my story... Well. I'm going to finish it. I think I have to, if only to satisfy myself that the Warrior is not necessarily a monster. There has to be an alternative to despair.

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  5. Nikki Magennis29 May 2009 at 16:15

    I meant not so much the rape itself, as the public reaction. Yes, of course, there is that kind of fuckwittery everywhere, but I think Ms Naughty was describing a particular strand of macho culture that can almost be seen to encourage coercive sex.

    Anyway, my usual alternative to despair lately is blind rage. At least it compels me to action.

    Maybe this will cheer you up?

    We got beavers back!

    http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/video/2009/may/29/beavers-britain

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  6. Janine Ashbless29 May 2009 at 17:05

    Oh yeah - hot beaver action!
    :-)

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  7. Janine Ashbless29 May 2009 at 17:06

    Okay, maybe I'll hold off destroying the planet, for the sake of the beavers.

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