If the author of "Novel Reading: A Cause of Female Depravity" were writing today, his or her subject would probably be the internet. To say the least, I think we have definitely steered away from the seduction novels of the past. It would be appropriate to say that anything and everything goes especially on the internet. You can find content or text on any subject on the internet. You can read it in the privacy of your home and no one would ever know. Along with internet dating, it is possible to find articles on female seduction, male seduction and just about anything the mind can dream. But, does that make it wise to subject your mind to any and all things that are depraved? Have we as a society decided that no subject is taboo?
There are so many great resources on the internet. But, occasionally I stumble across "resources" that leave me blushing. I quickly steer away from the page. Would our author define that sort of experience as eliciting "female depravity"? The intense exposure to the culture at large leaves one open to all sorts of influences good and bad. I feel sure that the authors of the articles we have discussed this week had no clue of the internet, but oh my goodness, if their pens could talk now!
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6 comments:
Good post! I think the author would have seen the Internet as very dangerous. All that available text and no one to mediate? How awful! Plus, these women could access things unfit for their virgin eyes. The horror!!!
You brought up some great points! The internet didn't come to my mind when I was writing the blog this week, but it is such a perfect example. The author of the article we read this week was concerned with what a woman should and shouldn't be putting into her mind. But with the internet, there are really no limits. As Megan pointed out, it's too difficult to mediate because it's easily accessible. Yesterday, a parent was telling me about her worries that she couldn't filter what her teenage son viewed online; while she could limit his access at home, he could get onto the internet via his phone, at a friend's house, on his laptop elsewhere...I think the author of our article would be horrified at the possibilities!
Great post! I'm surprised this didn't come to my attention when I was working on my blog. You're absolutely right: the internet provides women (and men as well) with quick, expansive access to all forms of lewd material. What would our 18th and 19th century friends have to say about that? Yikes!
I never even thought about the internet being a possible source! It definitely is. I felt like there was something so obvious but I could not think of it, and it was the internet. That's interesting to think about how you asked if no subject is considered taboo anymore, and I'm starting to think you are right. There really isn't much that most people just aren't afraid to talk about or express anymore.
Good point! I didnt think of the internet at first but i completely agree with you. The fact that a person can find stuff on the internet without anyone ever finding out is definitely dangerous.
Funny story (but not really) - when I was doing research for my class presentation, I googled "Hannah Ocuish" and the first result that came up was a website with necrophilia stories! There are as many crap websites online as there are useful websites. It's not too hard to imagine why people are more comfortable performing certain activities in the privacy of their own home. However, I don't know if the Internet causes questionable behavior - it might just bring some people's inherent depravity to the surface.
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