Sherlock Holmes, porn preference: normal

[Arcadia]

More pertinent: what do the WRITERS think is a normal porn preference?

[jesskayding]

Right!

[Carol the Dabbler]

TMI? What does that mean?

 

 

Even though that was explained to me a while back, it still looks like Three Mile Island to me!

 

[jesskayding]

Woman you telling your age. Sshhhhh.

[besleybean]

But also a social awareness!

[Carol the Dabbler]

Woman you telling your age. Sshhhhh.

 

 

... unlike my frequent references to the original Star Trek fandom? 

[jesskayding]

I probably tell my age often. I'm constantly making references to the early 90's.

[besleybean]

Early 90s?  

I was giving birth then...twice!

[jesskayding]

I could've given birth in the 90's, but I was being a responsible tween/teen.

[besleybean]

Ah well. I'm an old lady you see!

[Ruthyone]

Hi Besleybean, I am in the Harrogate area   

[avoca]

 

I really disagree with your interpretation of Molly as wanting Sherlock as someone he is not. My impression is the very opposite. What I see is a woman who knows Sherlock exactly for who and what he truly is and loves him just like that. One of the most beautiful and powerful moments on the show is, for me, towards the end of The Reichenbach Fall where Sherlock asks her if she would still want to help him if he wasn't "who you think I am, who I think I am", meaning the "great brain" and brilliant detective he has reduced his idea of himself to. And she just repeats "what do you need", because she loves him as a person, as just Sherlock, independent of talent or looks or reputation or what you will.

 

By series 3, I think Molly has accepted the fact that while she loves Sherlock and always will, she doesn't need or want him as a boyfriend - while at times, if she had asked him at the right moment and in the right mood, he might even have agreed to give it a try. She isn't needy at all, she has outgrown her need for him and still loves him for who he is and remains his loyal friend.

 

I know I glorify Molly to bits, but she deserves it, I think.

 

very well said. I agree with you. molly started off in the series as a sort of sherlock fangirl, but soon enough she showed to be totally another kind of person.

and I love molly too 

 

I'll go with what Benedict says about a possible future Sherlock/Molly relationship. 'There's always a chance'. Don't think it will ever happen show wise because it would spoil the dynamics within the programme; and can't see it happening in Sherlock world, because he would never put Molly in that position. She would be in too much danger from his enemies.
I think the possibility that there's 'always a chance'; however remote, is what makes their scenes together so moving and electric.

 

oh, I didn't know benedict said that. interesting..

 

Apparently Irene isn't quite out of the picture yet, either, at least according to Arwel at this weekend's con:

 

 

(source)

I'm pretty curious about the behind the scenes book.. 

 

got the case book and it's so good! I wonder if this new one is worth buying.. probably is   

 

sorry, who's Arwel?

[Caya]

Arwel Wyn Jones, he of the twitter account with the cool behind the scenes pics.

[Carol the Dabbler]

I'm pretty curious about the behind the scenes book.. 

 

got the case book and it's so good! I wonder if this new one is worth buying.. probably is   

Here's some info on the new book.  It's to be released on November 6th.

 

[avoca]

Arwel Wyn Jones, he of the twitter account with the cool behind the scenes pics.

thank you

 

just followed him on twitter

 

and thx carol for the link

[sfmpco]

Sherlock is an ordinary human being with massive intellect. He wants to be the high functioning sociopath he portrays himself as to other people. His desires are human but having sex or watching porn in no way can increase his intellectual powers so he would restrict those things. Morphine, cocaine and Tobacco do help the brain to think. That's why he is not associated with Marijuana or Alcoholic beverages. Watching porn for pleasure is untidy for Sherlock. I doubt whether he engages himself in sexual activity or not. Yes, he did it with Jenine but other than that I don't think he frequents. In my opinion he never watches porn but, may engage in sexual activity depending on the situation.

 

If you are not convinced by my logic consider this -  He already has stored his greatest desires in his mind palace. So if he closes his eyes he'll have something better than some internet pornography.

 

 

 

 

No, he didn't do it with Janine.  Even she said "Just once would have been nice."  His response, "I was waiting until we got married."

 

He never, never did it with Janine.  

[sfmpco]

Sherlock did use the qualifier.....'IF'......he wanted to. So it's still not a given.

 Yes, he did use the qualifier "IF" but followed up that he confiscated John's laptop which said in essence that he did look at porn.  

 

Magnussen had the "porn preference" on many of those he had info on.  Now, how he would know anyone's porn preference suggests his is monitoring online usage of people he is keeping tabs on, which is a whole other can of worms about his forays into the private lives of people.  Makes him extra creepy.  Wouldn't you be creeped out if someone was specifically monitoring every site you went to on your computer?  I mean if an individual was doing it?  Cyber stalking to the extreme.  But he rated John's porn preference as normal and also Sherlock's which meant that he ranked both of them with the same preference, and John is not gay.  

 

I don't find it odd that SH would look at porn.  Whether or not he is titilated by it is another matter entirely, but to look at it... well, he's still a man, and that's what the vast majority of men do.  And a huge majority of women too.  I don't see SH above doing that, even if it's for some sort of research.  On the other hand, if he's not getting any, then looking may be a way to deal with those errant thoughts and needs in private.  Obviously he doesn't confiscate John's computer when John is there.

[SherlockedCAMPer]

 

Sherlock did use the qualifier.....'IF'......he wanted to. So it's still not a given.

 Yes, he did use the qualifier "IF" but followed up that he confiscated John's laptop which said in essence that he did look at porn.  

 

Magnussen had the "porn preference" on many of those he had info on.  Now, how he would know anyone's porn preference suggests his is monitoring online usage of people he is keeping tabs on, which is a whole other can of worms about his forays into the private lives of people.  Makes him extra creepy.  Wouldn't you be creeped out if someone was specifically monitoring every site you went to on your computer?  I mean if an individual was doing it?  Cyber stalking to the extreme.  But he rated John's porn preference as normal and also Sherlock's which meant that he ranked both of them with the same preference, and John is not gay.  

 

I don't find it odd that SH would look at porn.  Whether or not he is titilated by it is another matter entirely, but to look at it... well, he's still a man, and that's what the vast majority of men do.  And a huge majority of women too.  I don't see SH above doing that, even if it's for some sort of research.  On the other hand, if he's not getting any, then looking may be a way to deal with those errant thoughts and needs in private.  Obviously he doesn't confiscate John's computer when John is there.

 

 

 

Sherlock states that if he wanted to look at porn he would borrow John's computer which almost implies he might actually ask.  Versus his stating that he confiscates it which seems to imply he doesn't look at porn because he didn't ask first.

 

SHERLOCK: If I wanted to look at naked women I’d borrow John’s laptop.

JOHN: You do borrow my laptop.

SHERLOCK: I confiscate it.

[sfmpco]

 

 

Sherlock states that if he wanted to look at porn he would borrow John's computer which almost implies he might actually ask.  Versus his stating that he confiscates it which seems to imply he doesn't look at porn because he didn't ask first.

 

SHERLOCK: If I wanted to look at naked women I’d borrow John’s laptop.

JOHN: You do borrow my laptop.

SHERLOCK: I confiscate it.

 

 

I will have to agree to disagree.  The fact that he so quickly admits to confiscating it is a quick admission to the fact that he does look at porn - on John's computer, and John admits that Sherlock borrows it - but Sherlock's version of borrowing is confiscating.

 

What I'm saying is that although Sherlock wears the mask of asexuality, beneath his skin is a perfectly red-blooded male.  He just chooses to suppress that part of his life.

[Boton]

 

 

I will have to agree to disagree.  The fact that he so quickly admits to confiscating it is a quick admission to the fact that he does look at porn - on John's computer, and John admits that Sherlock borrows it - but Sherlock's version of borrowing is confiscating.

 

I'm going to agree with sfmpco here and say that the exchange quoted above sounds to me like an admission that Sherlock has been viewing porn on John's laptop.  For one thing, he knows John looks at porn and maybe has a few sites bookmarked or hasn't cleared out his browser history -- otherwise, why would it be easier to look at John's computer to find porn than his own? And I seriously doubt that John is watching porn in the living room; I think he'd be a bit more circumspect than that.

 

Second, I take the "I confiscate it" not as the opposite of "borrow" but as an intensifier.  That is, not only does he look at porn on John's computer when he borrows it (implying John's knowledge) but also when he takes it without John's knowledge.  

 

 

 

What I'm saying is that although Sherlock wears the mask of asexuality, beneath his skin is a perfectly red-blooded male.  He just chooses to suppress that part of his life.

 

I agree with this, although I know there is no one correct perspective and the character can be interpreted many ways.  I base my head canon on two studies that I've read (sorry, don't have citations right now because I read at least one of them in grad school).  One study found that people with high IQ tend to be more highly sexed and/or perceive having more intense sexual urges than do people of average IQ.  The other study found that people with high IQ tend to be more likely to have periods of voluntary celibacy in their lives, which I think is easy to understand.  High IQ also correlates with a greater ability to perceive consequences to actions and to choose to delay gratification.  So I think both sets of findings can be true simultaneously.  

 

Taking those academic findings together, I assume that Sherlock both understands the potential negative consequences that can come from sexual activity and has a high or relatively high sex drive.  The man needs an outlet of some type.  

[Arcadia]

Still processing ....

[T.o.b.y]

 

I'm going to agree with sfmpco here and say that the exchange quoted above sounds to me like an admission that Sherlock has been viewing porn on John's laptop.  For one thing, he knows John looks at porn and maybe has a few sites bookmarked or hasn't cleared out his browser history -- otherwise, why would it be easier to look at John's computer to find porn than his own? And I seriously doubt that John is watching porn in the living room; I think he'd be a bit more circumspect than that.

 

Well, theoretically, there are a lot of alternative explanations, though. For example, Sherlock might just be curious what kind of porn John watches (I mean, he even got hold of his birth certificate, just to find out what his middle name was. Sherlock seems to not only feel the need to "know his enemies", but his friends as well). Or Sherlock might have used John's computer for something else (because his own was not in reach, or he was doing something else with it at the same time or for some other reason), and just found pictures of naked women on it.

 

 

I agree with this, although I know there is no one correct perspective and the character can be interpreted many ways.  I base my head canon on two studies that I've read (sorry, don't have citations right now because I read at least one of them in grad school).  One study found that people with high IQ tend to be more highly sexed and/or perceive having more intense sexual urges than do people of average IQ.  The other study found that people with high IQ tend to be more likely to have periods of voluntary celibacy in their lives, which I think is easy to understand.  High IQ also correlates with a greater ability to perceive consequences to actions and to choose to delay gratification.  So I think both sets of findings can be true simultaneously.  

 

Taking those academic findings together, I assume that Sherlock both understands the potential negative consequences that can come from sexual activity and has a high or relatively high sex drive.  The man needs an outlet of some type.  

 

 

But... Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character! How do these studies apply to fictional people? I mean, who bases his or her fictional (and, in this case, clearly fantastical) characters on scientific research? Okay, probably a lot of good writers who aim to be realistic. But Sherlock isn't realistic.

 

I think the original figure is meant to have next to no sex life at all, and no desire for one, but that's always very hard to tell with Victorian characters. Of course, they can do what they like with their adaptation - I just don't really want to know about it. I think they handled "Sherlock and sex" beautifully in A Scandal in Belgravia, and I'd like to consider that chapter more or less closed. Although speculation is always fun, no doubt about that. 

[Boton]

 

But... Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character! How do these studies apply to fictional people? I mean, who bases his or her fictional (and, in this case, clearly fantastical) characters on scientific research? Okay, probably a lot of good writers who aim to be realistic. But Sherlock isn't realistic.

 

I think the original figure is meant to have next to no sex life at all, and no desire for one, but that's always very hard to tell with Victorian characters. Of course, they can do what they like with their adaptation - I just don't really want to know about it. I think they handled "Sherlock and sex" beautifully in A Scandal in Belgravia, and I'd like to consider that chapter more or less closed. Although speculation is always fun, no doubt about that. 

 

There is always a slight chance that I'm overthinking this.  (Never....)  

 

But yes, I agree with you.  They handled things very well in SiB, and I don't really need to see any more executed on my screen.  I truly don't want Sherlock having any visible sex life -- that's not the character, and, frankly, it's more interesting to have a fictional character with sex removed from the equation, since that's so rare in modern stories.

[Carol the Dabbler]

But... Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character! <snip> I think they handled "Sherlock and sex" beautifully in A Scandal in Belgravia, and I'd like to consider that chapter more or less closed. Although speculation is always fun, no doubt about that.

Hey, how would you like it if those fictional characters started speculating about your sex life? 

[T.o.b.y]

 

But... Sherlock Holmes is a fictional character! <snip> I think they handled "Sherlock and sex" beautifully in A Scandal in Belgravia, and I'd like to consider that chapter more or less closed. Although speculation is always fun, no doubt about that.

Hey, how would you like it if those fictional characters started speculating about your sex life? 

 

 

Can't be any worse than real people speculating about my sex life, which has happened, so... why not? (Here a bit of friendly advice to the odd forum member who is still in school: It's really okay to not be popular. However, you should really try to find an informant, one who runs with the usual crowd but isn't above letting you know what the general chatter is as long as you keep mum about it and don't talk to your mole publicly. That strategy kept me out of a lot of potential trouble - and it also meant that I was privy to all the rumors about my humble person, which was kind of amusing most of the time )