All week long I’m peppered by publicists with invitations to review their clients’ latest books. And some of them–oy, have they got a wrong number!
This week’s offer is a novel about polygamy, touted as “Fifty Shades of Grey for men.” In case you missed it, that aforementioned book was a celebration of sadomasochism. I don’t propose to give the title or the name of the author of this current book–no free publicity for you, sunshine. Besides, it’s only one example plucked out of a multitude.
The publicist enthused about “the protagonist’s quest for the holy grail of sexual fulfillment”–translation: fornication with a lot of different women whenever he pleases–and called it “an enchanting tale of personal development and fulfillment.” They’re big on fulfillment. I think it means gratification of lust.
Does this sound like narcissistic self-worship to you? Sure does to me.
Why do I even mention it?
Because “entertainment” in all its forms, including dirty novels, is self-education, with the popular culture as the classroom. And nothing we can accomplish in politics or economics will be of any use to us as long as we continue to let our culture disintegrate into pure moral imbecility. A degenerate people will not produce decent leaders or decent public policy.
Kill the culture, and the culture will kill you back.