medieval torture lends perspective

Sometimes - no, usually - when people are complaining about Today's World®, I just think about medieval torture devices and it's like, "Really? I feel like it is a step up to not have an industry demand for human disembowelment and its accoutrements."

Nothing seems that bad within this context. Example: a male friend winces at the almost-rape-y scene in Brokeback Mountain, though it's more the roughness than the anal aspect that brings on the cringe.

RA: "It's just so harsh and painful-looking, and it doesn't do much for making gayness less threatening to the masses."

DM: "Ya, but don't you think the point is that it's as jacked-up a relationship as any?"

RA: "But he was tearing into that, tearing him open." He stops, and is running the scene through his head again.

DM: "It's not like medieval torture or something, though that could make a nice statement." [Several moments pause while giggling fit ensues from mental image.] They wait.

JS laughs, "Oh my. Oh no. What's going on up there?" JS laughs more darkly. Two heads stare, and wait.

DM: And...breathe. "It's not like the dick gets in there, flips a switch, a grappling-hook opens and pulls everything out with it. See? It could be so much worse." Big smile.