Libertines (NSFW) would frown on the idea of Valentine's Day and devoting yourself to your one true love; they were all about fun, all the time. Think
free love (or
polyamorism as current practitioners would call it) is a product of the swingin' 70s? No way. The
libertine philosophy has been around since at least the 17th century. Notable practitioners include
John Wilmot, Earl of Rochester, who wrote some juicy
poetry on the topic;
Choderlos de Laclos of
Les Liaisons dangereuses fame; the
Marquis de Sade; the fictional
Don Juan; and the poster boy for libertinism,
Charles II of England. In fact Rochester once had to flee court for
making fun of Charles's appetites (though Rochester was no angel himself).
Fast forward to the current day, when Johnny Depp is starring in a new movie, "
The Libertine," in which he portrays Rochester to some critical acclaim. Is Rochester simply a sad, sorry sort who justified a lifestyle that some see as immoral, and got his just deserts when he died of syphilis? Or was he caught up in a way of life that he alternately enjoyed and despised,
finding that "Old age and Experience, hand in hand / Lead him to Death, and make him understand, / After a Search so painful and so long, / That all his Life he has been in the wrong."
Maybe there's something to be said for
abstinence, after all.
posted by MiHail
on Feb 14, 2005 -
18 comments
I don't bite....haaaaaard. Making the commuter train ride more interesting: Bluetoothing for anonymous sex. Called
Toothing (message board, may be NSFW), randy Brits are using the wonders of technology to find themselves a bit o' fun after a long day's work. Just set your wireless device to discover other nearby devices, send out the 'standard greeting' and get ready to get bizzay. Why do it? Well, the
Toothing FAQ says it all:
"It's fun! And exciting! And you can meet some wonderful new people and make proper friends. " Well, of course! And don't think it's just a British thing,
Toothing's goin' international! So, reach out... reach out and touch someone. Don't forget to floss!
posted by tittergrrl
on Apr 20, 2004 -
20 comments
Now we know why French was required in school : échangisme, libertinism, Cléopâtre "For the past 18 months Jean-Charles and Sylvie have had a standing date with each other and with a changing cast of instantly made new best friends at a private club in central Paris called Cléopâtre...échangisme, she said, is something more interesting than the movies to do on a Saturday night...nearly 50 restaurants, clubs and saunas in Paris openly cater to heterosexual adventurers. " Time to bring back Plato's Retreat. [NYT reg req]
posted by Voyageman
on Apr 30, 2002 -
5 comments
A five-year-old kid from Minnesota has patented a way of swinging on a child's swing. More proof, if anyone needs it, that the government is veering from an institution of reason to an institution of control. At what point is a sufficient degree of absurdity reached that legitimacy is widely recognized to have been abandoned?
posted by rushmc
on Apr 19, 2002 -
21 comments
