[EMAIL PROTECTED] wrote:
> Okay, this is old discussion to most of you -- but did anyone else wince even
> slightly at Joni's choice of "Sex Kills"?
No.
> I know I'm nitpicking, and she was
> mostly attacking commercialism and bad vibes and behaviors, but I assume she
> was referring to AIDS (what else?),
I don't think that she was referring to AIDS at all.
> and, well, we all know it isn't the sex
> which kills. Of course, I'm at a loss to come up with a way she could have
> fit any other wording into the song without ruining the flow. Still...
> Sorry if this was discussed to death seven years ago.
>
With every new discussion of a topic we always learn new things and get new
insights! So we welcome new discussions of previously discussed topics; for
starters, we have not had your insights yet!
I probably change my understanding and interpretation of the song once a year,
but...
the song is about justice (just ice) and the spoiling of the environment (Exxon)
and the line immediately preceding "sex kills" is "sex sells everything".
The words go on to talk about the disconnect of people from their own lives and
covers a host of society's ills, including kids packing guns to school. At the
time of Columbine, this song got a lot of play in here - don't know if I would
ever want to go back and read that myriad of threads again or not, as it was
emotional, but if you can locate that thread, I'd recommend them.
Sex sells everything and distracts us from what is important: justice,
environment, youth, etc. etc. etc. And as a gay man I am surely convinced that
the gay community is as guilty as the straight community of being willingly
distracted by sex instead of dealing with real life. Rolling Stone has published
some brilliant articles on gun violence in schools and the causes thereof, but to
sell the magazine, the cover will almost always feature some nearly naked female
singer in buff shape, and I suspect that the RS stories on violence in our
culture are among the less well read by its readers. And my latest issues of OUT
are feature nearly naked men in buff shape and what is the hottest new thing in
gay culture but very few follow-ups to the Exxon Valdez oil spill (a key feature
of this song) or anything on oil drilling in the Alaskan wilderness.
The commercialization of sex for everything in our society has distracted us from
dealing with that which is real, Joni says IMHO, and that is why it is of my
favorite songs by Joni ever. Because I think she is right on here. And she says
that sex sells everything, sex kills, not as a judgment but as a lament.
I also think that sex can kill. AIDS is a virus, stds are viruses, and these
happen in the imperfections of the physical world in which we live. As you are
new to the list (and a belated welcome by the way!) when you see my signature,
please do not misunderstand. I am far, far from some right wing zealot, please
know that. In my ministry (and life) I have encountered a number of people who
have used sex as a weapon, and who have taken absolutely foolhardy risks (with
sex, drugs, alcohol, whatever) that have killed, in the search for the momentary
thrill.
Sex sells everything. As I write this, I am watching the US Open, Sampras vs
Hewitt (Hewitt is damned cute too) and Mass Mutual insurance just used a swimming
sperm to sell their financial services.
Again, welcome! I am sorry that I have not greeted you sooner!
(the Rev) Vince
http://www.pathwaynet.com/stmatthias
