Wednesday, February 23, 2011

Was Jacqui Smith grown in a vat?

I've just finished reading a rather fun series of sci-fi novels in which a mad scientist attempts to replace the human race with his new improved species that he grows himself in vats. (Yes yes, a standard sci-fi trope, but I prefer to think of it as 'classic') One of the characteristics of the mad scientist's new race is that they know nothing about human procreation (well, you wouldn't, would you?).

I never thought it could be actually happening, however, until I read this today about Labour's Home Secretary, Jacqui Smith.

"In an interview with the Radio Times to publicise a documentary she has made for Radio 5 Live on the subject, Ms. Smith admits that, despite overseeing legislation outlawing violent and bestial pornography, she found it “quite shocking” to learn of the ubiquity of online porn.

I thought the attraction of porn was that it’s illicit: you go into a private shop to buy a DVD,” she told the magazine. “But what the internet has done is to open up free, hard pornography to anybody of any age. I found that quite shocking.”


She thinks the attraction of porn is that it's illicit...

A mistake anyone grown in a tank could make.



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8 comments:

Aaron Traas said...

It reminds me of arguing with a Calvinist/Presibiterian type. He claimed that man is fallen, therefore man loves sin qua sin—because it is sinful, NOT because the act is pleasurable. I tried to explain to him the concept of concupiscence, but he was so convinced that it was the sinful, illicit nature of the actions, not the pleasures inherent in the actions themselves, that drew man.

Perhaps Calvinists are decanted as well?

Fr. T said...

Although St. Augustine thought that the forbiddeness of sin was part its attraction---he calls it praevaricatio, and he uses this to explain why sin actually increases under the law.

Aaron Traas said...

Certainly, the illicit nature of some things can make it more tempting, the thing itself has to be desirable in someones eyes for them to do it.

For instance, we could have all the social stigma in the world against rubbing broken glass on one's face before bed at night, but short of a handful of emo kids, no one will do it.

John said...

I was actually surprised that she knew what a DVD is.

Ingemar said...

Miss White,

While tangentially related (the tangent point is sexuality), I think you must read this entry from one of my fellow (ahem) schismatics, Owen White, on the mentality behind contraception.

http://ochlophobist.blogspot.com/2007/02/orthodoxy-and-contraception-part-iii.html

Anonymous said...

AAAHHHH NOT COMMIE OWEN NOOOOOOO - Karen

Ingemar said...

I prefer to think that 4-years-ago Owen was translated into Heaven and the one we have now is a Pod Person with Marx imprinted in his psyche.

Anonymous said...

HE WAS PRETTY BAD EVEN THEN - Karen