Argumentum ad populum is Latin for “appeal to the people”
and is an argument used by some for justifying their actions because it appeals
to the masses. Elvis famously
titled one of his albums 50,000,000 Elvis Fans Can’t Be Wrong as an example
of this argument. This line of thinking can have grave consequences, because
although 50 million people had bought Elvis records does it really make them
right?
For those of us that have kids at some point have probably
heard the argument (or made it ourselves when we were kids) “well, all my
friends are doing it.” This
argument is always used by children who in their stupid kid brain know that
what they are asking for is ridiculous or harmful or against a parent’s
wishes. This argument is generally
a last ditch attempt to convince a parent to relent. However, the parent’s response is almost always “well if all
of your friends [enter outlandish scenario], would you do that too?” This is a
classic parenting technique which then renders argumentum ad populum
ineffective.
My question is this, at what point does argumentum ad
populum go from being a silly argument
which parents easily refute to valid reason for adults to act like
idiots? This Valentine’s Day the
movie Fifty Shades of Grey opens up in theaters. The movie is based on the book of the same name and is part
of trilogy. The books have sold
over 100 million copies worldwide and according some cinematic prognosticators
the movie will be a blockbuster.
I cannot comment on the content of the books because I
haven’t read them, but from the water-cooler talk around my workplace the story
seems to be nothing short of pornography with a tad more plot. According to the Daily
Mail one fifth of the 100 minute movie is filled with sex scenes. But it’s not just the amount of sex
that is drawing criticism; it’s the nature of the sexual content. The books/movie glorifies sadomasochism
and takes the practice from the seedy underbelly of society and puts it in the
mainstream.
It’s almost nauseating to think that a book of this nature
has sold 100 million copies and then the movie is set to become a
blockbuster. Our society has
become the preverbal frog slowing being boiled to death. We have sat around for so long slowing
accepting the perversion of sex that it has gotten to this. When I first heard they were making the
book into a movie I naively thought that it would be a direct to video release
with little fanfare and no real following. I naively thought that the American people would at some
point come their senses and decry a piece of trash like this.
Like I said, I was naïve. Now you have sex toys being sold at Target
and hotels offering Fifty Shades of Grey package deals complete with bondage
accessories. If this movie is a
commercial success, which it looks to be, there are many far-reaching
implications for our society.
Understandably feminist groups have rallied against this
movie because they fear that glorifying S&M practices will lead to more
domestic violence and women will be humiliated through domineering practices. This
movie is sending mixed messages to our kids as well. They have been inundated the past decade with anti-bullying
messages. One organization’s tag
line is “Hands and Words Are Not for Hurting.” Now, they are going to have to modify it to “Hands and Words
Are Not For Hurting Unless for Bondage.”
In the end though, this movie glorifies the idea of sex
without consequence. It takes the
most intimate expression of love between a man and a woman and demeans it to an
act of savagery. At one point
during the movie trailer the protagonist says to the lead female actress something
like “I’m not into romance.” What
he’s basically saying is “I don’t care about you as a person, all I see you for
is a vessel for me to obtain physical gratification.”
Listen, I understand that pornography is a huge business and
that sex in Hollywood movies is a staple.
I also understand that movies studios try and use the ‘shock factor’ in
order to sell tickets. This movie
goes beyond the simple shock and awe technique. This movie puts abnormal sexual behavior in the forefront
for everyone to see and dresses it up as acceptable, nay, desired
behavior. This movie does more
than simply cross the bounds of acceptability; it redefines the bounds all the
while saying “100 million fans can’t be wrong.”
Fifty Shade of [Stupidity] may not be the raunchiest movie
to be shown on the big screen or perhaps not even the most perverted. The Sundance Film Festival is a staple
of low budget independent films whose themes are just as provocative, but then
very few of those films ever get viewed on the Today Show with Matt Lauer. Proof again that Hollywood is trying to
bring a certain amount of glitz and glamor to sexual perversion.
The magazine covers, the talk shows, and media blitz all do
one thing; erode away at the Biblical model of sexual relationships—one man,
one woman within a marriage relationship.
So much of our focus has been given to homosexuality that a story of a
man and woman involved in sadomasochism seems tame. In fact it almost seems romantic because they are wrapping it
in the big heart-shaped box that is Valentine’s Day.
But mark my words; more insidious things are to come. It won’t be long now before orgies,
bestiality and even pedophilia will be dressed up and made to seem
acceptable. If you don’t believe
me just ask your grandparents if Fifty Shades of Grey would be acceptable in
their day. In 50 years time our
morality is almost nonexistent. The justification to destroy morality is done with the four
little words “whatever makes you happy.”
People think that God is prude and
that he limits their fun, but God created all things, including sex. He never intended to limit our fun, but
He gave boundaries to enjoy ourselves without bringing harm. Sex does have consequences despite what
Fifty Shades makes you think.
Besides STD’s there are many unintended consequences of sex; broken
hearts, failed marriages, emotional disorders, eating disorders, substance
abuse, rape and sexual assault, sexual exploitation, just to name a few. God
doesn’t want to spare us from the momentary pleasure of sex; He just wants to
spare us from the long-term unintended consequences of sex outside of
marriage.
One hundred million fans can be wrong, no matter how loud
they cheer.
Leftovers, enjoy.
L. Kyle
