Bars Quote by Robertson Davies
“I don't think I would ever write a book with what anybody could call pornography in it, because I feel that pornography is a cheat. It is an attempt to provide sexual experience by secondhand means. Now sex is a thing which has to be experienced firsthand, if you are really going to understand it, and pornography is rather like trying to find out about a Beethoven symphony by having somebody tell you about it and perhaps hum a few bars. It's not the same thing. Sex is primarily a question of relationships. Pornography is a do-it-yourself kit--a twenty-second best.”
About This Quote
Source Interview: The Globe and Mail, 1975
The author argues that pornography cannot convey authentic sexual experience because it is mediated and lacks the relational depth of real intimacy.
In simple terms: Pornography is a shallow shortcut to sex, lacking true connection.
Key Takeaway
Seek genuine, firsthand relationships over mediated shortcuts.
Themes
authenticity
relationships
sexuality
media criticism
Mood
critical
reflective
Type
philosophical
analytical
When to use this quote
- personal relationships
- sexual education
- media consumption
- artistic creation
Key Concepts
phenomenology
mediated experience
relational ethics
Questions to Reflect On
- How does mediated media shape our understanding of intimacy?
- Can art ever truly represent lived experience?
A Different Perspective
Pornography may still influence attitudes despite its limitations.
