From the mouths of sex columnists...

[flexagon]

From this week's Savage Love, an interesting quote:

Our bodies are our own...; they’re ours to use, abuse, and, since we’re all going to die one day, they’re ours to use up. Sane adults strike a balance between taking care of our bodies—eating right, drinking in moderation, getting exercise—while still allowing for pleasures that require us to eat poorly, drink in excess, and lie motionless for days at a time while we recover. The better care you take of yourself... the longer you’ll live, of course, and the more pleasures you’ll get to enjoy before you inevitably croak.

It's true, of course. I'm going to use up my body. It's interesting to think about having a choice of how (and how fast) to do so, without there necessarily being much of a moral aspect to it.

Sam, my occasional massage therapist, has told me many times that he doesn't regret all the damage his body took during his time as a competitive runner. The experiences were worth it to him. When I think of how I feel doing acro, or back walkovers, I can even understand -- I might do those things even if I thought they were slightly harmful. Is it really that different for someone to feel the same way about alcohol or cocaine or meth or risky sex?

Comments

[islenskr.livejournal.com]

I want to think about this some more, but the first thing that comes to mind is that with acro and running, it's *just* your body and just *your* body. Being addicted to alcohol, cocaine or meth affects you brain a whole not more and in much more negative ways, plus it can have the side effect of affecting people around you. Risky sex, while perhaps not negatively affecting your brain, can also have bad consequences for others.

I think there's a difference between using your body in a way that only has consequences for you down the road and using it in a way that negatively affects other people. And then there's the brain aspect.

*thinking*

[bluechromis.livejournal.com]

Well, two thoughts - 1) Drugs require escalation, at least with any regular use. I can run 5 miles every day for years and still get that endorphin rush...heroin, not so much.

And it's that escalation that moves it into moral territory, because sooner or later you are going to hurt someone as you chase that elusive past.

Risky sex is an interesting one...what defines risky sex?

[kaigex.livejournal.com]

The better care you take of yourself... the longer you’ll live, of course, and the more pleasures you’ll get to enjoy before you inevitably croak.

Living longer just means you live longer. Whether or not you get more pleasures out of living longer depends on how you make use of that time. Supposedly you can get a good life boost by consuming less than 600 calories a day...but thanks, I think I'll pass.