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2003.06.03
Myth and Erotic Fantasy
What is it about fantasy, fiction and make-believe that are so integral to who we are as human beings? From a very early age our innocence strongly blurs our vision for that which is actual and that which is pretend. Darkness, in particular, compels a survival response that will manufacture a threat by anything not clearly understood. And a great deal of energy is expended on the play of make-believe.
Is not the human mind evolved to problem solve? Does it not seek after understanding? The drive to explore must be fundamentally supported by an ability to anticipate our future and make meaning of our past. Being able to do this requires a more fundamental ability to imagine concepts with in the interior boundaries of thought.
Survival propels a great deal of response to expand aptitudes, but we find that humanity is not possessed with a compulsion to just solve problems. It loves to create for the sake of creating--for the beauty, thrill and entertainment of it.
Entertainment of it? What survival value does entertainment have? It may be that it is one thread that most of us can hold onto to lift us through the tremendous challenges of daily living. It is a respite from the pain and exhaustion our realities possess from trying to make something meaningful out of our lives. It is an element capable of elevating the dignity of humanity through the expression of beauty and higher consciousness.
Fantasy is a way to "know" an experience without having to live through the reality. It is a way to explore that which has never before been known, it is a way to push the boundaries of actuality into tests beyond possibility and into probability. The dream world, as well, acquaints us with a very colorful and abundant symbology that our minds seem fixed on processing thru.
We love fiction, we love the unique variety and escape it captures us with. We love experimenting with ideas that we would never intend to express in reality. We love imagining ourselves bigger and better than we are and we also seem just as engaged by imagining our selves more sinister and dark than we are. All of this immersion in the make-believe is really only an extension of those childhood games--is it not? And does it seem that it is quite relevant and essential to our core development as the species that we are?
Illusion of all sorts attract an awe and curiosity that to this day continues to financially support flourishing psychic hotlines, astrology and tarot oracles, sensationalistic journalism, the splendid craft of magic, literature, art and motion pictures. Even religions and cults continue to perpetuate an interest in spells, miracles and forms of control over the super natural. For some reason humanity needs this and is willing to invest a great deal of money and energy into supporting its continuance.
So, if we were to find ourselves lost some where--far from the safety of civilization--what would we allow our imaginations to find? Fairies, trolls, elves, and unicorns? Dragons, wizards and witches? Sub-aquatic castles?
Humanity has rich mythologies, often constructed out of religious belief, that afford infinite arenas in which to create never-never lands: Gothic horror with its vampires, ghouls, evil spirits and underworld phenomenon. Celtic, Pagan and Authurian mythologies full of the wonder and magic of great magicians, wizards, mystical dragons and an involved variety of elf and fairy creatures any Dungeons and Dragons expert could refine your knowledge on.
Sirens, mermaids, nymphs of every variety, cyclops, gnomes, monsters great and small, big foot, the abominable snowman, giants, cherubs with love-spell arrows, deities of particular domains, knights in shining armor, princesses and damsels in distress, imps, great warriors, and courageous amazon women, futuristic goblins...all are elements of a dream world we will persist in creating and giving our art too.
Pornotopia.com makes art that explores these domains in the context of sexuality--after all, these creatures are as vital to this aspect of our make-believe play as any other.
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