As if you didnt know how weird and perverse people can be, along comes a tiny group of fringe deviants who have gone and complicated human sexuality even more. The name of the fetish is objectophilia, as in "the love of objects," and those who subscribe to its inanimate ways call themselves objectum-sexuals. Nothing says lovin like the cold, steel embrace of a refrigerator or the towering virility of a skyscraper, right?
The concept is reminiscent of J.G. Ballard's 1973 novel, Crash, which was later made into a film by David Cronenberg in 1996. Both versions explored a fictional group of fetishists who viewed the car crash as a sexual act and sought to recreate crashes for "release." But Joachim A., one of the objectum-sexuals, explains that theres a difference:
We're by no means just straightforward fetishists. For some people, their car becomes a fetish which they use to put themselves in the limelight. For the objectum-sexual, on the other hand, the car itself -- and nothing else -- is the desired sexual partner, and all sexual fantasies and emotions are focused on it.
For a lot of these folks, the relationship with their chosen building or appliance is deeply romantic. Take the case of Eija-Riita Eklöf-Mauer, whose affection has long been directed towards the Berlin Wall, and claims the two have been married since 1979. Heres a piece of art she designed for her hubby's birthday:
Former professor and sexologist Volkmar Sigusch believes this kind of behavior is indicative of a new trend. From Spiegel Online:
(Volkmar) has extensively probed this attraction to objects as part of his research into various forms of modern "neo-sexuality." The sexologist views this inclination as proof of his hypothesis that society is increasingly drifting into asexuality: "More and more people either openly declare or can be seen to live without any intimate or trusting relationship with another person," Sigusch says, adding that cities are populated by an entire army of socially isolated individuals: "Singles, isolated people, cultural sodomites, many perverts and sex addicts."
I'm not entirely sure what a "cultural sodomite" is or how it differs from a normal one, but I still say it's neat. A random thought: if indeed the future turns out anything like the the ones presented in The Terminator or The Matrix, wed probably all do well to get used to being fucked by machines... maybe these guys are just ahead of the curve?
Sexologist Sigusch doesn't want to classify such odd behavior as pathological. "The objectophiles aren't hurting anyone. They're not abusing or traumatizing other people," he judges. And then he asks mildly: "Who else can you say that about?"
This is a good point. Whatever rocks your boat is fine with me.
have these folks been listening to too much Frank Zappa? Joe's Garage, "A token of my extreme." recommended listening.
JOE:
Oh oh oh
Mystical Advisor
What is my problem, tell me
Can you see?
L. RON HOOVER:
Well, you have nothing to fear, my son!
You are a Latent Appliance Fetishist, It appears to me!
JOE:
That all seems very, very strange
I never craved a toaster
Or a color T. V.
L. RON HOOVER:
A Latent Appliance Fetishist
Is a person who refuses to admit to his or herself
That sexual gratification can only be achieved
Through the use of MACHINES... Get the picture?
Has anyone out there seen Demolition Man- That seems to be the way the world is going- I can see it happening- and in that the only sex is through machines- in a way- fluid exchange- or actual contact is prohibited....I'd want to be the Dennis Leary character- his best line is, in rebellion,"If I feel the urge to rub green jello on my body and run naked through the street..." I want to able to do it..or whatever I feel like as long as it causes no harm to anyone else...getting tired of our sad straitlaced world- if it wasn't for the internet our time now would make the 50's look like the 60's and 70's, including viet(iraq)nam, and maybe throw in Orwells 1984?
A common question people ask about homosexuality is why it is not considered a sexual deviation like pedophilia and sexual attraction to inanimate objects. Gay rights activists reply that unlike with pedophilia, homosexual relationships can exist between consenting adults, and it is not really even possible to have a relationship with a stick.
strndniowa said:
Has anyone out there seen Demolition Man- That seems to be the way the world is going- I can see it happening- and in that the only sex is through machines- in a way- fluid exchange- or actual contact is prohibited....I'd want to be the Dennis Leary character- his best line is, in rebellion,"If I feel the urge to rub green jello on my body and run naked through the street..." I want to able to do it..or whatever I feel like as long as it causes no harm to anyone else...:
I can understand people who marry walls better than people who liked that terrible movie.
Aaron_Lariviere
Los Angeles, CA
May 2007
MAY 30, 2007 05:10 PM