HOME / the breakfast table: An e-mail conversation about the news of the day.

Katha Pollitt and Andrew Sullivan

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Re: Movie report

By Andrew Sullivan
Posted Friday, May 8, 1998, at 12:06 PM ET

Katha,

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Wow. You should be a movie reviewer. Something about period drama always turns me off, however, and I'll probably give Les Miz a pass. I too was fascinated by the study that found teenagers more likely to tell the truth to a computer than on a sheet of paper. It's an illusion, of course, but for some reason, we feel more candid on this thing, less exposed. That's one aspect that distinguishes this form of e-mail journalism, as well, I guess. I feel much freer to write things off the cuff here than I would in a printed magazine, however irrational that may be. In fact, of course, our words here are far more eternal than anything in, say, TNR or The Nation, and much more easily accessed, if Bill Bennett wants to subject me to another inquisition. Nevertheless, I don't worry as much, and have found myself able to be more candid here than even on, say, television. Odd, isn't it? That's why, I think, interactive porn and gossip have found such a natural place on the Web. They require less inhibition; and are particularly friendly to the illusion of anonymity.

My only qualifying thought is that this may be a temporary phenomenon, as people have yet to adjust to the reality of a new technology, and before long, our inhibitions will revive again, as we get more used to Web interaction. Which means, of course, we're in a brief golden age of cultural honesty. Social scientists should make the most of it.

I'd say around 5 percent of boys fooling around with each other is a pretty good estimate. (Pity I was never in the 5 percent.) I'm also amazed at how many chat rooms you find on the net for "marriedm4m" or "bicuriousm4m", as all these probably-gay guys who got themselves trapped in a heterosexual marriage suddenly find this technology a way to start unraveling their construct of lies and wishful thinking. If I were the religious right, I'd be very nervous about that. A critical tool in maintaining discrimination against homosexuality is the maintenance of public dishonesty about it. The Web may be a critical weapon in chipping that dishonesty away.

As for the Brits and Americans and sex, I can honestly say I have never fooled around with a Brit. My suspicion is that Americans have far, far more fun and are more hypocritical about it publicly; and that the British have a generally awful time, and talk it up a great deal. One reason I'm an immigrant. :-)

cheers,
Andrew

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