The Emotion of Sex (NSFW)

At what point does sex become, to use that most hated of cliches, making love? Where does one begin and the other end? Is it a question of time with that person? Is it a question of familiarity? Is it emotion? Is it something entirely different? There is a definitive and marked difference between fucking someone and having sex with someone. There's even a difference between that and making love. But, I'll bet if you think about it, you'd say that the method in which the physical act is carried out is completely different in each circumstance. So, therefore, by that logic, it's easy to say that sex and the definition of it is entirely physical.

Sex is, without a shadow of a doubt, the engine of life. If there are any Futurama fans reading this, they'll know about the episode where Fry downloads a Lucy Liu-bot and proceeds to have a completely hollow and empty relationship with her based purely on the physical. In an attempt to show the error of his ways, Fry's subjected to an educational film on the dangers of meaningless sex and how it is the ultimate downfall of humanity. In between laughing at this episode, it got me thinking.

If we, as individuals, simply wanted sex and nothing more, we could all go out right and do it. Provided we had the means and the opportunity. Take escort services. There's dozens of them across the nation, no doubt. For the right price, a man or woman could have utterly meaningless sex with a random stranger and that would sate the physical need for it. Or would it?

In many cases, people will often tell you that sex on its own is nothing. There has to be an emotional core to it. It can be for the right reasons or the wrong reasons. Vengeance, for one. Showing someone how much you miss them, for another. Many reasons. There is always an emotion linked to it. So to remove it is simply to not have sex. It's simply you and some other person engaging in what is essentially a physical act shared. It could be the exact same as shaking their hand. There is contact between two bodies, but nothing is added or gained.

There has to be knowledge of one another and knowledge of self. Consider what it would be like to engage in your wildest sexual fantasy. Remove the intended person. Insert another person who has absolutely nothing to do with the intended person. The thought, I'd wager, doesn't become half as pleasurable as it was initially. We connect sex with people. People we care about. When it is connected to people we don't care about, it is ultimately nothing and is very often a futile exercise.

I'll agree that some people do find pleasure in the physical act, alone. But deep down, if they were truly and completely honest with themselves, it may be a case of them telling themselves and everyone else that they enjoy it. We need the emotion in order for sex to be what we want it to be.

Jedward - A Debate

About a week or so ago, Jedward released their album, "Planet Jedward". It is an album of note-for-note covers of various pop songs from the last ten years. There is no new take on any of the songs chosen. Take, for example, their cover of Blink 182's "All The Small Things". It is exactly the same song - no difference in melody or tempo - from the original. In fact, the vocal track by Blink 182 could be removed and replaced by Jedward's. This leads me to ask the following question -

Why do it if you're not adding anything new to it?

It seems that Jedward are treated something between a novelty act and a children's favourite. They are, to use an acutely Irish expression, "harmless". This isn't the case, I think. How can they be considered as musicians? There is nothing original about what they do. They've stated on numerous occasions that they can't sing very well. In fact, they see it almost like a badge of honour. They are entertainers. That's something entirely different. An entertainer is someone who amuses you. A musician is someone who composes or performs music. Jedward have not done this. They have performed other people's music. Well, I say performed - they've replaced the original artist's vocals with their own.

Jedward are never going to win an Ivor Novello award. They will never be nominated for the Mercury Prize. They probably know that themselves. But the fact that their popularity and chart sales are taking from other musicians who are original, who are trying to do something different is where I get flummoxed. Now, I'll bet my next week's wages that this time two years from now, Jedward will most likely be playing in your local GAA bar. But who's to say that there aren't hundreds of acts like them coming down the line? When will the public draw the line and say enough?

Again, I reiterate that Jedward will never be taken seriously. And thus, their album shouldn't be taken seriously. My argument is that this shouldn't be the start of a trend. Say what you want about any of the other X-Factor people - they were, at the very least, original enough to put their own spin on certain songs. Or try their own. They may have all failed miserably. And that's a good thing. And Jedward, too, will fail miserably. But, the fact they're getting airplay / recognition / encouragement is what is truly frightening. Mediocrity is being encouraged. Originality is being discouraged. It's meant to be the other way around.