Lazy

Like most “young” Americans that lived through the 90s, I’ve watched the comedy, Friends. But I came to the conclusion long ago that it wasn’t much worth it. I always felt the writing was somewhat clever, but in the end, it relied far too much on sex to push its story line. It could get away with it for a couple of reasons – 1) it had an extremely strong cast, and 2) it was the 90s. Today, it probably couldn’t make it. Far too problematic.

But that doesn’t mean it didn’t leave a legacy that’s seeped into far too much of “entertainment.” Sex works, and pushing the envelope with it is a recipe used far too often. I’ve often thought about what the writers’ room for Friends must have been like. Well, I might not have to wonder – one of the writers filed a sexual harassment suit. It was thrown out by the California Supreme Court because the constant and lurid talk of sex was part of the creative process.  I’m sure the transcripts from that case’s testimonies are an interesting read.

I was reminded of this when I was watching an awful movie last night. It had five main characters, and within the first 10 minutes, one of the male leads was proposing sex with two of the females. By the end of the movie, four of the five characters had engaged in sex with each other, and the fifth engaged in some heavy kissing with another.

I don’t really believe that the ubiquity of sex in film and on television is a huge plot for normalization of the behavior. That ship sailed long ago. I think now it’s just a matter of laziness. I mean, what must be the creative process in writers’ rooms these days? Someone says, “Hey, what do we put here to move the story along?” and the answer “Let’s have these two people having sex” has to be among the first answer.

I’m sure there’s a writers’ term for it. Mine is, like I said, laziness. Sex is an easy sell. It generates billions for the porn industry. But it’s also one of the reasons a lot of people are so messed up. Expectations. Pressures. Inadequacies. Broken families. Young people who believe their lives and successes are measured by sex.

It’s a problem that I’m not going to solve here, for sure. It’s a problem that even movements like #metoo won’t, in the long run, be able to dent. It’s in our natures, and we’ve become convinced it’s so normal that some (most) would not even think there’s a “solution” necessary. But the damage is there, even if we don’t know it.

There’s a solution, but, as in most cases we would rather run to our own pleasure. It’s a shame too. But certainly not unexpected. This is certainly something that should warrant more thought…