Using Ayn Rand to put in perspective nudity and sex scene in mainstream tv & film

 "Art (including literature) is the barometer of a culture. It reflects the sum of a society’s deepest philosophical values: not its professed notions and slogans, but its actual view of man and of existence." - Ayn Rand

So what does accepting, if not celebrating, nudity and sex scenes in mainstream tv and film tell us about society and what it holds dear?

That's a loaded question, eh?

From mindless nudity in tv and film comedies, to gay/lesbian/bi make-out scenes, to sex scenes that don't add anything to the plot in "serious" dramas, my interpretation is that producers, directors and even actors justify nudity "as normal" but they never really expand on this besides "it happens in real life." Well, I piss and shit in real life too. Why even have an actual script and just follow the actors around as they do improve - much more "real" than each actor have dedicated lines. What they don't tell you that nudity and sexual acts on screen is innately voyeuristic in nature. They have little to no respect for the flesh or the act of sex itself since 99% of all nudity associated with sex scenes are premarital sex acts. 

Politics is downstream from culture and the politics, or lack of politics, surrounding nudity and sex scenes tells us were the culture is. The (secular) culture is nothing transcendent. It is trash. Smut. All the best camera work, color palettes, costume and set design, sound experts and makeup artists cannot turn a pig into a civilized, dignified upright citizen. A pig is still a pig that goes "oink! oink!" that prefers to eat out of a trough. 

 

Shower Thought: Would the passing of Queen Elizabeth spark a movement to make NO mass ACTUALLY reverent AND back the return of the TLM?

Given all the gushing about how the UK is filled with tradition (the monarchy + queen's funeral) in comparison to lame America, and the rise of pathetic boasting of how the constitutional monarchy is fucking amazing to a constitutional republic, American traitors and pompous Brits have responded as one would imagine who has observed modernism.

Will the "eh whatever TLM" types who prefer the NO be swayed to make the NO reverent (I get the feeling they're also traitorous Americans) and would this hot air about tradition be also applied to immense support for the return of the TLM?

Hate to be that guy, but TLM proponents should use this double standards to their advantage and make a hard appeal to tradition and reverence. 

I will bet money these are the same people who want a centralized healthcare system, one month of paid vacation and "free" higher education amongst other things.

 

"Your first time" in mainstream tv & film

EXPLICIT CONTENT 

Those who are familiar with the forums dedicated to pornography, or just nudity in tv and film, in general will notice one thing: the excited anticipation of a pornstar's first anal scene (nowadays it's the rise of cuckoldry with black sexual partners). The discussion goes something like this.

Person A: I cannot believe Amy Star [fake pornstar stage name] hasn't done anal yet. It's been four years!

Person B: It's not if, it's when.

Person A: I just can't wait for it to happen. Same with her first *interracial scene.

Given the scenario above it's almost identical to those who wish to see a certain actress nude, whether it's s throwaway nude scene (i.e. dressing/undressing, shower or bathing, topless sun bathing) or a sex scene (explicit or not). See below.

Person A: Has this actress done any nudity yet? She has a great body and hella cute.

Person B: Not yet. It's only a matter of time. Some take longer than others, but it'll happen eventually. She just needs the right role for it. 

If the pornstar has done one anal scene then more than likely she'll be open to do more anal scenes. This is usually the case. Same thing with actors who have done nudity and/or **sex scenes - all they need is that one scene and that'll leave the doors open to more nudity and sex scenes as long as they act. 

Talks amongst female actors usually end up like girl-talk of "when was your first time" (on screen versus in one's own sexual life) mainly because sex scenes are innately treated like such talks. During an actors' round table, actress Jennifer Lawrence recalled her first sex scene to which, quickly, Cate Blanchett responded for clarifcation "your first sex scene on film?" Of course the latter knew what she was talking about, with the question made in light jest, but the topic could have been easily directed towards the losing one's virginity in real life. Hmmm. Interesting. 

First film/tv sex scene oddly resembles talks of one's first time having sex in real life ... 

*Interracial sex in pornography: In mainstream tv and film actors doing gay/lesbian/bi roles that involves sex scenes (explicit or not) are seen in the same light. In fact, it's now seen as a "check mark" role to get out of the way, like in the 2000s to play an oppressed Jewish person in order to get an Oscar nomination.

** Rarity, some actress have done sex scenes who were not nude. Case in point Saoirse Ronan. Her earliest intimate scene was in The Host where she wore a sports bra (it wasn't a time period film). Her other sex scenes, one with Kate Winslet in the lesbian movie Ammonite Ronan was also fully clothed (time period piece where she was given oral); and another in Brooklyn - also clothed in which the sex scene was amazingly tame despite her character having sex with her boyfriend, though it was in a more socially conservative time period. In The Host I believe she specifically noted she didn't want to get nude - whether be nude for the scene itself to be filmed or nude in general where her hair or bedding would cover her breasts between her co-star. Other sex scenes were in Queen of Scots and Lady Bird, both of she again was clothed. 

Currently, she and Watson are the only actresses that I know of, with their establishment, who outright said no to nudity or made the potential of nudity to zero as they convinced producers to be clothed for such scenes. For Watson, she had a body double in Regression. 

In defense of actors who have done nudity & sex scenes.

The script, more or less, is the Bible on set. It is doctrine. 

If there are no sex scenes, implied or explicit, or no scenes with nudity then the actors remained clothed. That's it. The producers always find ways to sexual a female character if given the chance. Producers tend to be sharks who, if they smell a drop of blood, will charge. 

Even if the scene doesn't involve explicit nudity, for example see-through lingerie or actors in underwear, given the nature of tv and film, whether in dramas or comedies, that's a wide enough door for anyone who's involve on what happens in front of the screen to rationalize nudity.  One example would be Emma Stone who insisted on being topless in a scene after implied sex/intimacy in The Favourite even though the script did not depict it. For this we can only look towards the actor for literally putting themselves in that sad, awkward situation.

Directors and screenwriters - don't put your actors in situations that degrade them even if it's "consensual" and even if the actors are of legal age. No sex scenes and no nudity written in the script usually results in no nudity. Don't believe me? See films directed by Christopher Nolan and M. Night Shyamalan. Many of the most beloved films do not have nudity or sex scenes at all. 

Many of Wes Anderson's films don't feature nudity, and if there is nudity it's usual non-sexual manner; but if there is - for titillation sake - it's usually with actors who have done explicit nudity (damaged goods) in the past or are relatively new to film acting (exploit the heifer). Arguably most of Anderson's nudity don't add much to the plot or character, so he is no exception to the rule. 

The actors are merely receivers of the script. Whatever the script dictates they say and do, for the most part. Actors are yes men and women. Give them orders that showcases their acting ability - not their skin because that's not acting. That's what strippers are for. That's something else - and it ain't art. Actors aren't nude models too in such cases - no one's freezing the frame to draw their bodies. Instead, they're collecting them and masturbating to their nudity. 

Not so truthful Hollywood

 

On Obesity and Health: US vs Western Europe - Double Standards and Hypocrisy

Western Europeans: Americans are fat and unhealthy.

Also Western Europeans: Smokes weekly if not monthly and is on caloric deficit due to a "strict" diet. Has little concept of a balanced diet like an obese American. 

Being skinny doesn't necessarily mean you're healthy. Skinny is just that: skinny - it's not really an indiction of good health. And if you smoke under the age of 35, no matter the reason, I can't take you seriously. Of course, if you're overweight that doesn't mean you're healthy (exceptions would be NFL players are overweight depending on position they play; sumo wrestlers are overweight).

For a region that's really struck by how "anti-science" Americans are,  Wester Europeans sure do like to suck on cigarettes like they like to strip down for the camera if paid ("because no big deal") despite the consensus in (real) science saying smoking cigarettes literally is a detriment to your health every time nicotine enters your mouth and blood stream. 

I understand if you're 40 or older given that was the norm growing up, and it's hard to bread the habit, but if you're 30 or younger and smoke - get the fuck outa my face when you're talking about "being serious about your health." At least most Americans who smoke don't proclaim to be "fit and healthy" for their jobs if it doesn't call for them to be thin. 

I'll bet on the overweight American and within a year or two and with proper nutrition, movement and some God in their life, he'll be in a much better place than the Western European mentally, physically, emotionally and spiritually. Give that now fit American a pint of beer and even a some pipe tobacco to smoke when it gets chilly and he'll be the most interesting man when stepping on European soil.