Quote:
Originally Posted by Kali Yuga
As far as I know, the Kama Sutra does not advocate transgressive sexual activities -- just heterosexual positions.
Regardless, all you need to say is "this book is about more than getting hard/wet, therefore it's not prurient"
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So am I understanding correctly that it is your argument that a) any book that is about something more than simple arousal is not prurient
therefore b) the _Kama Sutra_ is not prurient (an interesting err...position, but okay)
and c) therefore
if the book in question (which I have not read, or I would be able to judge this for myself) is about something more than simple arousal (for example contains other storylines woven in?) it is also not prurient?
And do you agree that d) if the book in question is not prurient by this measure it shouldn't be pulled?
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kali Yuga
(Catsittingstill pointing out that the bible is full of material that appears to advocate bad behavior
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That's nice, but completely irrelevant.
As I said previously, even leaving aside all issues of judgment: The claim that "incest is described in the Bible, therefore my work of incest erotica ought to be treated the same" is patently absurd. It's trivial, childish, unpersuasive and tone-deaf.
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Well, actually, I don't agree that it's nice that the bible is full of material that appears to advocate bad behavior. Nor do I agree that it is irrelevant, since people upthread have claimed that this book deserves to be pulled because it might be seen as advocating bad behavior.
And I do not agree that there is anything absurd about the simple observation that applying different standards to different books is unfair.
"Treat this work of incest erotica like the bible" does sound ridiculous, which is why I don't advocate that. "
Treat all books the same with regard to standards that determine whether you sell or pull them, and with regard to handling customer complaints regarding them" is noticeably less ridiculous.
And is all I want.
Quote:
Originally Posted by Kali Yuga
There is no such "one standard" that will work.
The process of passing these types of judgments will always be nuanced, subjective and in flux. There's no getting around it.
Nor is there any guarantee that it will be applied with universal efficiency. If you get popped for driving 75mph in a 55mph zone, no judge is going to void your speeding ticket because you insist there was another driver that was going 80. You were still speeding, therefore you still get a ticket.
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You have indeed grasped the heart of the problem, as I observed elsewhere.
And unlike speeding, where, though fair enforcement would be better, even spotty enforcement reduces dangerous behavior that often ends up hurting innocent people, writing erotica hurts no one.
At which point the unfairness of any possible standard does loom larger to me.