New review of the Book of Erotic Fantasy

[dave_o]

But yeah, when you're someone who believes that the purpose of sex is to have children, and that sex should preferably be within the confines of marriage, you tend to have a lot of kids, since sex is just a means to an end. But if you're someone who views sex as an end in itself, then generally speaking you don't want anything beyond that, and so have less children. In the former case, children are the goal, and their creation is actively encouraged. In the latter case, sex is the goal, and children are viewed as an unwanted byproduct and so everything is done to prevent childbirth from occuring. I know that's the end goal for me.

I've known a few guys who weren't interested in settling down, but rather, in getting laid. Where are they now? Approaching their 40's and still out there chasing tail. That's what you get when the endgoal is sex. You get lots of sex going on, but no children. Myself, I want a family. I love kids, and if I could have at least 3 of them I'd be ecstatic. 4 or 5 would be even better (Hey, I'm immature, so the more playmates the better ). But that's what Puritanical values (Even for us Non-Puritans) get you. A desire to have children. Not just a desire to "get some" and avoid any and all "consequences" that might arise from that.

Typically, I stay out of this sort of thing. I feel that the Book of Erotic Fantasy is just, y'know, another book. As Djeta demonstrated, most gamers don't even know about it. So I wouldn't worry about it bringing fire and brimstone down on gamer society; Jack Chick takes care of that for us.

Like I said, though, it's a book. You don't have to buy it, you don't have to dig it, but the fact is that it's getting published in either case. I applaud the proverbial balls it took for Valar Project, Inc. to decide to publish it, anyway - it's rare that a corporation decides to produce something that has incredibly dubious sales value.

Now, for Green Knight's post - I can't let that statement go unchecked. I, admittedly, am completely fine with sex outside of marriage (as long as you're not married! ) and personally feel that the sexual aspect of humanity is a beautiful and insightful aspect that isn't celebrated nearly enough. It is true, yes, that I don't want kids at this exact moment - but I'm really offended that you'd claim I'll be out "chasing tail" in my 40s. I have a girlfriend that I love, and that I wanna make babies with - just not right now! But the sexual aspect of our relationship isn't geared just for making babies, it's to bring us closer together, to let us share something impossible to experience otherwise.

It's even part of my religion that intercourse (wanton, voluntarly, loveborne intercourse) is the closest human step to the divine.

So just because I have sex now, and don't want kids now, doesn't mean in my 40s I'll still be trying to "get laid" and be far from settling down. I want to make a little Atticus and a little Lily, but I'll be damned if I'm not going to give my love the most amazing thing I can give her until then.

Edit - Does anyone know if the BoEF will have rules for immaculate conception?

 

[mythago]

The USA has one of the higher reproductive rates in the developed world AFAIK

That's still not very much; the US is at a birth rate of about 1.8-2.0 children per woman, which is below replacement rate. It's still higher than some other countries, which hover between 1.1-1.8, but nonetheless low. And it is almost certainly a result of our immigrant population, which has always had a high birthrate. The US's birthrate is likely to drop, not rise, over time.

Anyway, sorry for the Off-Topic rampage.

Pft, if you were that sorry, you wouldn't have posted it in the first place.

False dichotomy, by the way. Most people who want to have children also like sex for non-procreative reasons. Most people who cat in their younger days intend to marry and have kids eventually.

 

[Dinkeldog]

Can we please return to discussion of the book as opposed to discussion about birth rates and borderline political and religious discussion? Thanks.

 

[tetsujin28]

I understand that. I feel the whole idea of mixing real life religion and D20 as GOOFY. I can freely pop into a Testament thread and post some comments on whether or not you have to do D20 Spot check when someone comes up to you and asks

"Have you found Jesus?"

As someone who has run almost exclusively historically-based games, I find this statement a bit odd. What is "goofy" about using real-world religion?

 

[Green Knight]

Pft, if you were that sorry, you wouldn't have posted it in the first place.

False dichotomy, by the way. Most people who want to have children also like sex for non-procreative reasons. Most people who cat in their younger days intend to marry and have kids eventually.

Uh huh, and you're a mind reader, now? And if so, you have this amazing faculty to read minds through your computer screen? Wow. Pretty amazing there, Kreskin.

And it's not a false dichotomy. At what point did I make the claim that those who don't view sex as an end unto itself don't like sex? As for those who cat who want to get married and have kids eventually, putting off marriage and children later in life tends to cut down on how many kids you'll actually have. Or are you making the claim that those who get married in their late 30's tend to have as much if not more children than those who get married in their early 20's?

Now, for Green Knight's post - I can't let that statement go unchecked. I, admittedly, am completely fine with sex outside of marriage (as long as you're not married! ) and personally feel that the sexual aspect of humanity is a beautiful and insightful aspect that isn't celebrated nearly enough. It is true, yes, that I don't want kids at this exact moment - but I'm really offended that you'd claim I'll be out "chasing tail" in my 40s.

I should be the one that's offended, since you're making accusations which have nothing to do with me. Did I mention you in my previous post? Did I bring up the name "Dave_o" at any point? I said "people I know". Do I know you? Are you someone whom I know in real life? If so, where do you get the idea that I'm saying "Dave_o will be out chasing tail til he's in his 40's"? I was just talking personal experience. And personally, I don't know you.

 

[mythago]

And it's not a false dichotomy. At what point did I make the claim that those who don't view sex as an end unto itself don't like sex?

If as you say, "since sex is just a means to an end" (emphasis yours in the original), that implies rather strongly that the point of sex is not pleasure, but babymaking.

As for those who cat who want to get married and have kids eventually, putting off marriage and children later in life tends to

putting off marriage and children later in life tends to cut down on how many kids you'll actually have.

Do you have something to back this up, or are you just guessing that the person who marries earlier is just going to have more kids because they're married longer? If we're just idly speculating, you could say "they're married longer, they'll have more kids," while I could counter with "people have about the same number of kids, the only difference is when, not how many."

As you say, I can't read minds; I can only go by what you write. Unless you're also the Amazing Kreskin, you can't read minds either, and you should probably consider that when you try to guess what I'm supposedly thinking.

 

[Dinkeldog]

Right. Any questions?

I didn't think so, but if you're still curious about why this got closed e-mail me and we can discuss it.