‘justice’, ‘normal’, ‘mature’, ‘democracy’, ‘religion’, and such. Sometimes, of course, when it is feared that the absurdity of this may be too obvious, one speaks of such things as “true justice,” “real democracy,” and such.”
“But surely there are realities involved, as well,” said Brenner. “It cannot be all verbal manipulation, all fraud, all politics.”
“Yes,” said Rodriguez. “There are realities involved, and that is why the political fraud, the media manipulations, and such, are so important, to distract attention from them, to conceal them, and such.”
Brenner nodded. He even sat down on the bed, forgetting that the maid had been there. He wondered if he should have listened to Rodriguez. The man must be mad.
“The stunted plant deprived of the mineral, you see,” said Rodriguez, “is an unhealthy plant, in a quite clear sense, to be sure, perhaps in an old sense, or a superseded sense, even if it is now defined, for political purposes, as being “healthy.” Similarly, a plant that is clipped and trimmed into an absurd shape, to conform with an external or alien concept of excellence, may now count as a better plant, or a superior plant, from the external or alien viewpoint, but it is certainly not the natural plant, the plant as it would grow if it were under conditions ideal to its own nature, as it would grow in its own natural health and glory, so to speak.”
“I see,” said Brenner.”
“There is also a distinction between the descriptive and prescriptive use of discourse which is often blurred in these matters,” said Rodriguez. “For example, ‘normal’ might be used to signify what sort of thing actually occurs most frequently, or it might be used to characterize an ideal, rational or otherwise, which is seldom attained in actuality. For example, in the first sense, having sexual needs is quite normal, but, in the second sense, on the home world, the normal person, so to speak, or the truly normal person, as it might be said, does not have such needs. Those who have them, secretly, of course, are thus expected to regard themselves as, say, abnormal, deviant, in need of a cure, or such. This guilt is useful politically, of course.”
“I am prepared to admit that I have sexual needs,” said Brenner. “But surely I am unusual.”
“Not at all,” Rodriguez assured him.
“But what of women,” asked Brenner. “Surely they do not have sexual needs.”
“You saw the maid, and heard her,” said Rodriguez.
Brenner suddenly realized he was sitting on the bed, or, rather, that the maid had been there earlier. He stood up, quickly.
“But she must be a deviant, or a nymphomaniac,” said Brenner.
“It is highly unlikely that she is a deviant,” said Rodriguez. “It is much more likely that she is simply a normal woman, one with sexual needs. To be sure, her sexual needs have probably been liberated by now from the bondage of her training and education.”
“Liberated from bondage?” said Brenner. “She has a chain on her ankle.” Brenner decided that he would accept what seemed to be the reality of the maid’s situation, rather than pretend to disguise it in his own mind. It had seemed to him unlikely, even from the beginning, that the maid held the key to that chain on her ankle.
“I refer, of course,” said Rodriguez, “to the liberation of her sexual needs.”
“She is probably a nymphomaniac,” said Brenner.
“Is that a derogatory expression?” asked Rodriguez.
“I’m not sure,” said Brenner, though he supposed it was supposed to be. He was not exactly certain why. To be sure, he could see how it might be of advantage to a certain form of political establishment to claim it to be such, for example, that it might be used as a device to discourage women from seeking sexual fulfillment, from fulfilling their needs, from becoming themselves.
“I am not sure what you mean by the expression,” said Rodriguez, “but as I use it, every woman, properly handled, is a nymphomaniac. She will beg for more, and such.”
“Then you think that women have sexual needs,” said Brenner.
“Women have profound sexual needs,” said Rodriguez. “Sexual needs, biosexual needs, psychosexual needs, it all goes together.”
“Even the directress?” asked Brenner.
“That self-important, smug, pretentious, frustrated, miserable, frigid slut?” asked Rodriguez.
“She,” admitted Brenner. Rodriguez’ assessment met with his approval. Still, he did not personally find the directress, who was a young woman, unattractive. He recalled her as he had imagined her kneeling on the plating of the lounge, on the ship, her hands, the wrists linked together in the bracelets,