It is a sign of the times. A novel is out with apparent transhumanist tendencies, in which a chimp is engineered to exhibit human characteristics. And it has graphic scenes of human/chimpanzee sex.
First, based on the SF Chronicle book review, it would appear that the The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore comes from a radical animal rights perspective From the review:
Imagine, for a moment, a future in which animals are accorded the same rights as humans, a society in which cattle ranchers, research scientists and pet owners are regarded with an antipathy we now reserve for eugenicists and slave traders. In the graduate literature seminars of this future, Benjamin Hale’s debut novel, “The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore,” would be hailed as a brave and visionary work of genius.
This interspecies coming-of-age story – in which a chimpanzee acquires language and attempts to make his way through human society – would be taught alongside “Animal Farm,” the works of Temple Grandin and J.M. Coetzee‘s “Elizabeth Costello.” For readers of the present day, “The Evolution of Bruno Littlemore” offers a touching and quirky story of identity formation, a brash, glittering, engaging yarn that pushes past opposable thumbs, universal grammar and bipedal ambulation to the pulsing heart of our fair species.
Okay, I don’t mind a yarn about a chimp that acquires human attributes as a vehicle to engage in social criticism. Having a pure outsider react to suddenly being immersed in a culture is a time-tested approach.
But it strikes me that when a book apparently includes graphic and positive depictions of bestiality, and is praised for it, we have embarked on a road that leads to cultural subversion:
Bruno learns to paint, escapes from a research facility, plays Caliban in an underground Shakespeare troupe and falls in love with his trainer, Dr. Lydia Littlemore. In all his exploits, romance included, Bruno takes life by the horns. The much-blogged-about – and truly rather graphic – interspecies sex scenes may offend the sensibilities of some readers, but it is difficult not to be moved by the strength of Bruno’s attachment to Lydia.
Peter Singer has similarly written a book review of a pornography book (warning, crude language) in which he smiles benignly at its explicit depictions of bestiality as merely two animals rubbing intimate body parts.
Curious about whether the Chronicle review was an outlier, I looked in vain for a review that criticized the bestiality. An essay in The Observer quotes a graphic depiction of the first sexual intercourse between chimp and woman, stating evenly:
We almost recognize this tone, because it’s aspiring to the Swiftian sound of someone discovering for the first time things that we long ago forgot we had to learn [the mechanics of having sex].
And that, my friends, is a classic example of terminal nonjudgmentalism.
This is a real storm warming. Positive and pornographic depictions of bestiality are nothing to smile about or shrug off. Standing against the normalization or acceptance of bestiality is far more important than having our “sensibilities” offended. As I have written elsewhere, it is a crucial matter of defending and upholding human dignity.
The Chronicle review ends by praising the book for not “shying away from controversy.” Why is that only considered a badge of honor when the controversial work stands against the usual standards of decency and/or human exceptionalism?
February 2nd, 2011 | 7:39 pm
[...] Details and analysis–but no graphic quotes–over at Secondhand Smoke. Comments (0) [...]
February 2nd, 2011 | 8:31 pm
“Human Dignity”. Not much of it out there in the secular world, anymore. How does one expect to maintain a modicum of dignity while coupling with scores of partners? Can’t be done. In today’s environment one’s dignity is commonly used as coin of the realm to obtain a subjective level of “coolness”. Whatever that means. But the end-result is one’s dignity is never able to be fully recovered. And thus “human dignity” no longer has a perceived value for far too many people.
February 2nd, 2011 | 9:33 pm
The only way it will ever stop is if we stop acting as if it’s just crazy talk to even suggest that maybe, just maybe, we should reject the idea that it’s normal, natural, and eve desirable for each generation to shock its elders.
Or – wait – maybe not….
Progress used to mean things got better. Now the word more often means things have gotten more ‘liberated’ – or, in more honest language, less inhibited.
So maybe it will end when we’ve run out of inhibitions…..
BTW at the bookstore the other day I saw an entire end-cap display of what appeared to be category romances featuring female protagonists and male human/animal blend romantic lead/romance hero figures.
I take it some people are excited by the idea of mixing human and animal genes to make something new and…sexy?
February 2nd, 2011 | 10:32 pm
Michael Crichton covered similar ground in his book “Next” about a chimp/human hybrid. About halfway through I realized Crichton knew how ludicrous things were getting, and it was apparent he was going for laughs. Didn’t work. Not one of his better efforts.
Wesley J. Smith Reply:
February 2nd, 2011 at 10:43 pm
padraig: I stopped reading it half way through.
February 3rd, 2011 | 3:05 am
[cue safepres vomiting]
February 3rd, 2011 | 3:51 am
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Stand In The Gap, J. Robert Howell. J. Robert Howell said: Praising Fictional Bestiality in the Newspapers http://is.gd/BHUxwk [...]
February 3rd, 2011 | 9:15 am
Braise, broil, fry, stew, slice, dice and boil. Milk-fed veal, mmmm! Implant electrodes in their brains, inject them with experimental drugs. Cut off their testicles, slice, bread, fry and devour. Cut off their heads and nail them to the wall. Wear their skins as coats, belts and shoes. Use their skin to polish your car. Make briefcases, car seats, couches, wastebaskets, gun racks, Jello, shampoo, hats, footballs, baseballs and basketballs out of them.
But a fictional account of touching their naughty bits is an affront to human dignity.
February 3rd, 2011 | 11:03 am
Imagine yourself in a room of the literary radical chic where everyone was in a flutter about this book. The cool kids know how to comport themselves once a book has received some sort of officer class recognition (i.e. NYT)–engage the discussion as if the bestiality was nothing more than interesting literary vehicle. I mean if you haven’t learned after four years of college how to be cool, well God help you.
I think before I die the Christian orthodox among us will be regarded as something akin to the Amish, but without the clothes. Our perspective on the world won’t be allowed to enter the public realm in any way, but as long as we keep to ourselves we won’t be jailed or killed. Hmm, they might eventually even find us quaint, or ask us a question or two. For now though we play a vital role–we are the only thing that allows them to feel edgy and let’s face it–if they can’t feel transgressive in some way, they’ll just die!
February 3rd, 2011 | 12:44 pm
Jeffery,
Do you know a website for the gun racks you mentioned?
February 3rd, 2011 | 7:29 pm
Douglas,
Try Bass Pro Shops or Cabelas. My friends make their own from the front legs of deer.
Or you can use intact antlers.
Good hunting!
February 4th, 2011 | 8:28 am
Douglas, I have a Bass Pro coupon. Let’s go!
February 6th, 2011 | 3:30 pm
[...] A few days ago I complained about positive book reviews for a new book that partially involves expli… I saw the acceptance of bestiality/literary porn as a disturbing symptom. Here is part of what I wrote in that post: This is a real storm warming. Positive and pornographic depictions of bestiality are nothing to smile about or shrug off. Standing against the normalization or acceptance of bestiality is far more important than having our “sensibilities” offended. As I have written elsewhere, it is a crucial matter of defending and upholding human dignity. [...]
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