How incredibly Lazy we all are.
Or is it something worse than that?
I've been reading a book by Vladimir Nabokov called "Lolita". High school friends will remember the reference by Sting... in that 80's song... "Don't stand so close to me".
-It's no use... he sees her... he starts to shake and cough...
just like the... old man in.... that book by Nabakov".
Traditionally its a very controversial book.... considered at times in history to be pornography... (primarily I think because of the tendency for moralist masses to knee jerk... and miss the point).
It was banned in England for a time because of it's subject matter.... the story of a French Literary Scholar (Humbert, Humbert) who only finds very young women... girls... attractive.. (in Humberts case.... Lolita... 12.)...
* Before judging Humbert too strongly as a random historical freak... BTW... please see the history of European monarchs... and the tradition to pledge marriage of daughters as young as 4 and 5... (actually not wedding... until around age 12 to 13)... Near eastern cultures as well.. It's believed that perhaps Mary... the mother of Jesus could have been as young as 12 or 13 when she was betrothed to Joseph.
The Nabakov book is controversial because it's a look into the polluted mind of a pervert.... a willful pedophile.. He... (Humbert.. the character.... not Nabakov... the writer)... is a dangerous ass for sure.
He's dangerous because he roams free. He has the ability to do what he wants... when he wants... Manipulate... etc. But most dangerous when he's thinking.
He is dangerous primarily because he has the freedom to think what he wants... about a thing... or a person... with no concern for rightness... accuracy... truthfulness... or reality.
He's not concerned about knowing a thing as it is... for what it is... rather he's content to settle in on his own preconceived notions about it.
What I had madly possessed was not she.... but my own creation... another.... fanciful Lolita- perhaps.... More real than Lolita... Overlapping... Encasing her.... Floating between me and her... and having no will.... no consciousness.... indeed no life of her own.
-Humbert.
This is the pornography. The idolatry. The "unholiness of it".
It's the pornographic mind of the character... (not the book) because Humbert is content to settle on conveniences in his own mind about the girl... He settles on the things he wants to believe about her.... Not the things about her that are actually true.
Let me ask....
Is this the reason that... say.. things like lawn jockeys are offensive to black people?
Stereotypes?
Are prejudices offensive to people because they're oversimplifications and generalizations of who and what people actually are?
Why do we do it? Settle for the fraud... or the fake?
Laziness?
Convenience?
Are we safer that way??? Our meticulously crafted world?
What about Idolatry?? Worshipping the false God?? The convenient God of our own choosing? (Fred Phelps)... The God of our own creation?
As the world considers "Holy Week"... I wonder... do we kill the God of reality?... crucify Him because we just can't take the possibility that we might all be wrong after all?
Haven't read the book. What leads Humbert to his perversion? I've thought a lot about the things that lead people down dark paths (especially in light of my trafficking work). Thanks.
ReplyDeleteGood question Brian. The character believes it to be a fixation on young women specifically related to the loss (through death) of his childhood sweetheart. I'm inclined to believe it's much much more complicated than that.
ReplyDeleteOf course it's a novel not as much trying to explain as much as show. That said... Humbert (really??? Two first names the same...? Humbert, Humbert?). proves through out the book that his own opinions of himself can't be trusted.
Best (and saddest) moments are like the quote... for instance... where he becomes aware of the worst of it.... And yet it does not change him... (not yet at least).