Saturday, July 18, 2015

Second Thoughts on Vice

I stand by what I said in my last post - I don't think the state has any business policing vice. But I was thinking about it, and I realized that I may be giving off the wrong impression. I don't live a life filled with vice - aside from the fact that there are naked pictures of me on the internet, otherwise I'm pretty much a real straight shooter. I don't ingest any illegal substances, I don't solicit prostitutes...I don't even indulge in the legal vices - I don't smoke, I don't drink, I don't gamble, I don't even play the lottery. At the risk of sounding like an insensitive prick - and, as a disclaimer, I know decent people who indulge in many of those vices, so it's not as if there aren't exceptions - I think those activities are for the weak-willed and the weak-minded.

Now, I have some pretty liberal views on sex, but I'm not even promiscuous. I'm not a sexual anarchist, I just don't believe in hiding or being ashamed of our bodies or our sexual desires. My approach isn't so much free love as it is sexual innocence - not to be confused with ignorance or inexperience (requisite link). And I want people to know that - that if they get involved with me, whether personally or for business purposes, that's not what they're getting into. I'm not all about vice, I just want to elevate erotic beauty to a level of sophistication. And I don't mean to say that sharing naked pictures, for example, is a vice, but that it's okay, because vice is cool. Rather, I'd prefer to change people's perspective so that sharing naked pictures isn't even viewed as a vice, but a natural part of our social bonding conventions that is not uncommon, and ought to be free from any stigma.

If you ask me, activities like smoking and drinking and gambling - and, yes, even promiscuous sex - are dumb and self-destructive. Just because I think you ought to be comfortable posting naked pictures of yourself on the internet, doesn't mean I'm going to try to entice you into those other vices. The thing is, I don't want the naked pictures thing to be considered a vice in the first place, because frankly, I don't see why it should be. Smoking and drinking destroy your body, and because they're addictive, they should be avoided. Promiscuous sex is forgivable if you're safe and responsible, but it's perfectly possible (and less risky) to have a satisfying sex life while utilizing some discretion. But voyeurism and exhibitionism in the form of photography, or non-contact activities like nudism, is safe and enjoyable - and, if you ask me, wholesome - so long as you don't view the basic fact that human beings are sexual, sensual organisms as itself something to be ashamed of. That way, how you indulge your desires (i.e., whether responsibly or not) determines your moral value, and not the simple fact of having them.

I want people to view me as an example of a good role model. The fact that I embrace the sexual side of my existence is merely a demonstration that I accept myself wholly (instead of living in shame and repression - how is that a good example of living?), and the way that I do it is intended to demonstrate how that part of you can be a source of pride and pleasure. That's why I've always stood behind what I do, and took it seriously - instead of blurring my face out and tacitly acknowledging that I'm ashamed of what I'm doing (I'm not). At the same time, it keeps me from doing anything stupid, because I refuse to do anything that I don't have a convincing justification for. That's why you'll never see me hang my head and apologize just because the wrong person found out what I was doing. I hope that's something that people get from me through my photography and my writing. At the risk of sounding like a lunatic (though it probably won't be the first time), we have a long way to go yet before this kind of lifestyle is free from stigma, but it is my goal to serve the role of a sort of wholesome, family-friendly sex icon.

7 comments:

  1. Very interesting. I didn't know that about you before. I also don't smoke, don't drink, don't do drugs, don't gamble (I understand mathematics, lol). I'm glad to know we share that in common. I often feel like the odd man out in many social situations, but I'm glad to be different – I like the choices I've made, and I'm comfortable with them.

    I went to visit a friend last week who was camping in a nearby park with a few other friends. As soon as I got out of the car one of the other friends, who I had never met before, was offering me a cigar – almost pushing it into my hands. How strange. No I don't want a cigar, thank you all the same, lol. The first thing I thought when I stepped out of the car was what a wonderful fragrance from the forest – and now I should fill my lungs with smoke? Weird. Then, I was plied with drinks of several types. But I was happy to enjoy the outdoors as it is, without chemical modifications, lol.

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  2. Yeah, I don't want to oversell the "natural" argument, since not everything that's natural is best, but a "clean" life does generally mesh with naturist principles.

    I can certainly sympathize with the view that drugs enhance what can at times be a boring, disappointing, or outright unbearable experience of life, but given what they can do to your body, and the nightmare that is addiction, I just feel better off not going down that road.

    Besides, why would I want to give up control of myself, or cloud my perception of the world around me? I'm about seeing things as they are, not viewing them through a mask of illusions.

    In college, a study buddy once asked me why I never got high while listening to Led Zeppelin, and I told him simply, the band sounds amazing to me without any chemical enhancements. Why would I want to open that Pandora's Box, knowing all the dangers that come with it?

    And I love listening to music, but when I go out to the park I see people jogging with phonebuds in their ears, and I've never been one of those people. I want to listen to the sounds of nature, and be aware of my surroundings. Yeah, it gets boring sometimes, but I've always been exceptionally capable of keeping myself preoccupied just with my own thoughts.

    Actually, I drove out to a state forest just the other day, and remarked at how quiet it was. No background hum of traffic for once. It was soothing. And then the wind comes through the trees, and it sounds like the rain, as it ripples through all the leaves. It was beautiful. (Now if they could just get rid of all the bugs...)

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  3. I like thinking of you as a "wholesome, family-friendly sex icon." Right on! Works for me.

    I was curious though when you talked about a situation where "the wrong person found out what I was doing." Has that happened to you? I even wonder if something like that has happened recently? In any case, please know there are those of us who appreciate your free spirit and celebration of life. I always look forward to seeing what your creative mind produces next.

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  4. I wanted to share a story with you, because I think you can appreciate it – and it relates to you, anyway.

    A few days ago I went out for the express purpose of taking some nude shots outdoors. I was inspired by your photos, and in particular your porch-traits. I got my tripod, wore some nice loose shorts commando style, and headed for a beautiful spot overlooking the water.

    I had a great time taking pics, though I didn't have an assistant like you. Still, it was fun making sure the coast was clear, then slipping out of my shorts very quickly for a couple shots – or simply pulling my hard cock out from under my shorts, as in your porch-traits – and I took lots of pictures, always thinking of your pictures as a guide.

    Well, everything went fine, but then as I walked back toward the parking lot I saw a police car parked there. Oh my. Immediately my heart started to race. I had been as careful as possible to be discrete, but I thought someone must have seen me anyway and used their cell phone to call the police. My thoughts were racing – should I turn around and disappear back into the woods, or should I start deleting my photos. Just then, the policeman started his car and drove off. What a relief! Wow. I always get excited when taking nude pictures outdoors, but this was taking it to a different – and scary – level.

    As I said, everything turned out fine, and I can laugh about it now, but for a few moments there I was in panic mode.

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  5. I'm glad the police weren't there for you. It's a shame that we're made to feel like these kinds of activities are so wrong, even when we take precautions not to disturb anyone else. Like, big deal even if somebody did see you, right? If that's enough to "scar" someone for life, then they're in dire need of therapy anyway.

    But yeah, I think it's natural to get anxious in the presence of the police. It's terrible, because they're supposed to be here to protect us. You could say it's the fault of having a guilty conscience, but the truth is, we have so many laws against such arbitrary things.

    A state trooper pulled me over once because he thought I was smuggling drugs across the country (this was on the way home from Burning Man, so my rented car was covered in sand - in hindsight, I should have gotten a car wash after the festival, but I took it as a kind of badge of my participation). He asked me why I started driving so slow when I saw him behind me, and I told him I got nervous. He figured it was because I had something to hide, like as if he doesn't understand that cops are very intimidating, even to innocent people. Anyway, it ended with the car getting searched, and the state trooper having to disappointedly send me on my way, because I was squeaky clean. It was scary, but it makes for a great story to tell.

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  6. Thanks for the replay.

    Yeah, very interesting situation. A lot scarier than my encounter (well, almost encounter) with the police.

    On the way home from that photo session I saw a guy hitchhiking in short shorts, kind of like you wear a lot. I've never picked up a hitchhiker, but I was sure tempted, given the way he looked (similar to you in many respects) and how horny I was anyway from taking nude/hardon pictures. I fantasized how I would pick him up, and as we chatted I would mention what I had been doing. He would offer to be my photographer, and he would take a lot of exciting pictures with me as the model, first in the car as I drove, then later in the woods. Then he would let me take pictures of him, too. Of course, all of this would be more fun with a girl, but he was the only one out there hitchhiking, and thinking of it in terms of you made it more exciting, lol. All in all, that was an exciting day.

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  7. Sounds very stimulating! I'm surprised to hear that you saw a guy wearing short shorts. That's very rare, in my experience. I wish there were more out there, though, because it can feel alienating to go through your day and not encounter a single person like you. Like whenever I'm at the pool or beach, and I'm the only guy wearing a tight swimsuit that doesn't cover my thighs. The girls are barely covered at all, and yet I feel like everyone is looking and snickering at me. I'd like to think I could be a trendsetter, but I wonder how much anyone would actually want to copy me...

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