Now that Bewildered Heart has completed reading Fifty Shades of Grey, after what might have been countless days of gormless gawping, in what ways should we expect the EL James abomination to affect us? Will our perception of the outside world be considerably altered? Will present and future relationships become stale and peaceful when held in comparison to Ana and Christian's or will fleeting fancies with weblogs such as Romance Novels for Feminists find previously unknown erotic depths and become dangerously sexual? Most worrying of all, perhaps, how can Bewildered Heart continue to find the same degree of satisfaction from reading Mills & Boons as we did through all those delightful years? Will Special Moments offer the perverse thrills to which we have recently grown accustomed? For those hiding under bed covers or attempting to wrap a silk tie around their own wrists, tremble no longer, because a swath of psychologists and opinionated laypeople have not been shy in volunteering their expertise on the damage that awaits us.
As witnessed numerous times before, there remains confusion as to whether reading romance fiction is harmful or beneficial to your psychological health, with viewpoints depending on religious background and book promotion. Fifty Shades has not only highlighted this argument, but amplified the potential risks or advantages. Idealising relationships, baby-making and alpha males is one thing, but glorifying sadomasochism, abuse and female subjugation is something entirely separate, and not necessarily accurate unless an expert bases their findings on haphazard estimations conjured from nothing. Speaking of which, Dr. Drew Pinksy is clearly uncomfortable with women using the Fifty Shades trilogy as a substitute for intimacy, or as a template for their own couplings. 'Maybe I have no business commenting on how women massage their fantasy life. Indeed I don't,' he begins perceptively, before continuing. 'But as I look at this as a clinician, the idea that women look at this relationship as anything other than absolute, categorical, profound pathology is more than I can imagine.' The limitations of Pinksy's imagination notwithstanding, there appears to be no evidence that women are seeing the novel's romance as anything other than fiction, but what sort of clinician would Dr. Drew be if he let that stop him?
'(Ana) is a woman who is naïve to (sadomasochism), and is manipulated and exploited by a man who has a severe personality disorder and a sex addiction who is violent with her, it is just too much to be understood.' The limitations of Pinksy's comprehension notwithstanding, his description of the book sounds a great deal more compelling than anything EL James was able to dream up. Still, in criticising the central concept of Fifty Shades Pinksy leaves out important plot points, such as Christian's handsomeness and wealth. An argument could also be made against the accusations of violence, as the first novel in the series contains no such instances, choosing instead to water down the hero's darker impulses until only rhythmic thrusts remain. In response to the standard defence that 'Swept-Away' fantasies are an innocuous hobby that allows women some escapism from daily drudgery, Pinksy appears to disagree. 'I would say that is a Stockholm Syndrome effect. The fantasy that you are in control when you are being manipulated and overpowered by someone, that you actually adopt their point of view and believe you are participating and controlling them is a complete fulfillment of a pathological fantasy.'
Dr. Drew might well be correct that a fantasy is a fantasy, but his conclusions lose their impact when considered against evidence. While Christian takes the view that the submissive is the one in control at no point is Ana genuinely empowered, instead a slave to her infatuation with a beautiful man. A much more controversial argument came from a Newsweek article by Katie Roiphe, which provoked a series of angry rebukes from feminists with internet connections. Despite this, Roiphe begins wisely enough, rejecting Grey as a proper sadist because he is, 'Solicitous and apologetic, always asking the heroine about every minute gradation of her feelings, and bringing her all kinds of creams and lotions to soothe her after spanking her.' The novel's appeal therefore is obvious, as it offers, 'Semi-pornographic glamour and the dangerous frisson of boundary crossing, while delivering reassuringly safe, old-fashioned romantic roles.' Yet, Roiphe contends, fantasies of female powerlessness are gaining in popularity during a time of women's sexual freedom and ascendency in the workplace. Is there a correlation between the decline of man in the real world and the rise of dominating rich men in romance fiction, and are there any statistics available that would disturb Dr. Drew even further?
'An analysis of 20 studies published in Psychology Today estimates that between 31 percent and 57 percent of women entertain fantasies where they are forced to have sex.' Theorists speculated on the reasons for this and concluded that women harboured such dreams because they were guilty and ashamed of claiming ownership for their own inclinations, but Roiphe finds this difficult to rationalise in the present day. Furthermore, Fifty Shades of Grey does not compare to the rape fantasies of the 1970s, but is Ana's form of passivity a rejection of feminism? 'The more theatrical fantasies of sexual surrender offer a release, a vacation, an escape from the dreariness and hard work of equality,' writes Roiphe. What marks this modern twist on sexual submission different from the likes of The Story of O is the inclusion of love as a motivation rather than an actual yearning to be bound and beaten. This allows Ana to, 'Indulge in the out-there fantasy of whipping and humiliation without actually taking responsibility for any off-kilter desires.' James uses this to appeal to our, 'Puritan past and our post-ironic present,' thus freeing Ana of judgement, while absolving her of the moral dilemmas necessary to reveal character. The story is simply too weakly told to offer political insight that would warrant closer scrutiny.
Writing in the New Yorker Daphne Merkin has suggested that, 'Equality between men and women takes a lot of work and may not be the surest route to sexual excitement.' Therefore feminism has no place in pornography, as male perverts have been saying for decades. The inherent troubles with Fifty Shades of Grey are glossed over by writers keen to focus their attention on other points as they use a famous title to lure in a larger readership. Those criticising Roiphe have pushed the notion that sex-positive feminism caters to all tastes, but this ignores Ana Steele's decision-making. As Dr. Drew noticed, without even reading the book, Ana is manipulated, bought and abused, as her innocence and obedience are fetishised. Her walking out at the novel's conclusion is undermined by her marrying Christian in Fifty Shades Darker, yet if the trilogy is the tale of Ana's maturity then meek subservience is a suitable starting point. Unfortunately for critics, their conclusions must be reached in spite of the source material, but analysing the possible reasoning of the readership does not offer understanding of the book. As a spiritual cousin of the equally atrocious Twilight, Fifty Shades suggests that women like classical romances with unashamedly idealised heroes, and obstacles such as vampirism and dominance need not be overcome, but instead happily shared.
As witnessed numerous times before, there remains confusion as to whether reading romance fiction is harmful or beneficial to your psychological health, with viewpoints depending on religious background and book promotion. Fifty Shades has not only highlighted this argument, but amplified the potential risks or advantages. Idealising relationships, baby-making and alpha males is one thing, but glorifying sadomasochism, abuse and female subjugation is something entirely separate, and not necessarily accurate unless an expert bases their findings on haphazard estimations conjured from nothing. Speaking of which, Dr. Drew Pinksy is clearly uncomfortable with women using the Fifty Shades trilogy as a substitute for intimacy, or as a template for their own couplings. 'Maybe I have no business commenting on how women massage their fantasy life. Indeed I don't,' he begins perceptively, before continuing. 'But as I look at this as a clinician, the idea that women look at this relationship as anything other than absolute, categorical, profound pathology is more than I can imagine.' The limitations of Pinksy's imagination notwithstanding, there appears to be no evidence that women are seeing the novel's romance as anything other than fiction, but what sort of clinician would Dr. Drew be if he let that stop him?
'(Ana) is a woman who is naïve to (sadomasochism), and is manipulated and exploited by a man who has a severe personality disorder and a sex addiction who is violent with her, it is just too much to be understood.' The limitations of Pinksy's comprehension notwithstanding, his description of the book sounds a great deal more compelling than anything EL James was able to dream up. Still, in criticising the central concept of Fifty Shades Pinksy leaves out important plot points, such as Christian's handsomeness and wealth. An argument could also be made against the accusations of violence, as the first novel in the series contains no such instances, choosing instead to water down the hero's darker impulses until only rhythmic thrusts remain. In response to the standard defence that 'Swept-Away' fantasies are an innocuous hobby that allows women some escapism from daily drudgery, Pinksy appears to disagree. 'I would say that is a Stockholm Syndrome effect. The fantasy that you are in control when you are being manipulated and overpowered by someone, that you actually adopt their point of view and believe you are participating and controlling them is a complete fulfillment of a pathological fantasy.'
Dr. Drew might well be correct that a fantasy is a fantasy, but his conclusions lose their impact when considered against evidence. While Christian takes the view that the submissive is the one in control at no point is Ana genuinely empowered, instead a slave to her infatuation with a beautiful man. A much more controversial argument came from a Newsweek article by Katie Roiphe, which provoked a series of angry rebukes from feminists with internet connections. Despite this, Roiphe begins wisely enough, rejecting Grey as a proper sadist because he is, 'Solicitous and apologetic, always asking the heroine about every minute gradation of her feelings, and bringing her all kinds of creams and lotions to soothe her after spanking her.' The novel's appeal therefore is obvious, as it offers, 'Semi-pornographic glamour and the dangerous frisson of boundary crossing, while delivering reassuringly safe, old-fashioned romantic roles.' Yet, Roiphe contends, fantasies of female powerlessness are gaining in popularity during a time of women's sexual freedom and ascendency in the workplace. Is there a correlation between the decline of man in the real world and the rise of dominating rich men in romance fiction, and are there any statistics available that would disturb Dr. Drew even further?
'An analysis of 20 studies published in Psychology Today estimates that between 31 percent and 57 percent of women entertain fantasies where they are forced to have sex.' Theorists speculated on the reasons for this and concluded that women harboured such dreams because they were guilty and ashamed of claiming ownership for their own inclinations, but Roiphe finds this difficult to rationalise in the present day. Furthermore, Fifty Shades of Grey does not compare to the rape fantasies of the 1970s, but is Ana's form of passivity a rejection of feminism? 'The more theatrical fantasies of sexual surrender offer a release, a vacation, an escape from the dreariness and hard work of equality,' writes Roiphe. What marks this modern twist on sexual submission different from the likes of The Story of O is the inclusion of love as a motivation rather than an actual yearning to be bound and beaten. This allows Ana to, 'Indulge in the out-there fantasy of whipping and humiliation without actually taking responsibility for any off-kilter desires.' James uses this to appeal to our, 'Puritan past and our post-ironic present,' thus freeing Ana of judgement, while absolving her of the moral dilemmas necessary to reveal character. The story is simply too weakly told to offer political insight that would warrant closer scrutiny.
Writing in the New Yorker Daphne Merkin has suggested that, 'Equality between men and women takes a lot of work and may not be the surest route to sexual excitement.' Therefore feminism has no place in pornography, as male perverts have been saying for decades. The inherent troubles with Fifty Shades of Grey are glossed over by writers keen to focus their attention on other points as they use a famous title to lure in a larger readership. Those criticising Roiphe have pushed the notion that sex-positive feminism caters to all tastes, but this ignores Ana Steele's decision-making. As Dr. Drew noticed, without even reading the book, Ana is manipulated, bought and abused, as her innocence and obedience are fetishised. Her walking out at the novel's conclusion is undermined by her marrying Christian in Fifty Shades Darker, yet if the trilogy is the tale of Ana's maturity then meek subservience is a suitable starting point. Unfortunately for critics, their conclusions must be reached in spite of the source material, but analysing the possible reasoning of the readership does not offer understanding of the book. As a spiritual cousin of the equally atrocious Twilight, Fifty Shades suggests that women like classical romances with unashamedly idealised heroes, and obstacles such as vampirism and dominance need not be overcome, but instead happily shared.
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