Gore Vidal remark

Writer Gore Vidal once commented, tongue in cheek, no doubt, that
"Sure," he believed in corporal punishment. (Then, after a potent
pause, added) ... BETWEEN CONSENTING ADULTS!!!

Why not?

Last week Dr. Phil had on his show a couple with a troubled marriage.
Steve and Sheila had been childhood sweethearts. He had been, by all
appearances, a bit of a twit, maybe an environmental nerd. However,
once married to the vivavcious Sheila, he changed. Trying to assert his
masculinity he became an abuser of alcohol. Sheila put up with it for a
long time, extracting promises from Steve that he would stop the abuse.


Oh, he was full of good intentions, always promising that he would
reform, THIS TIME he would change, THIS TIME he would break the habit,
turn over a new leaf.

Finally, Sheila went overboard. She searched through the house, and
found bottles (vodka) that Steve had stashed away. It was a burden to
her, the mainstay of the family (financially); Sheila held a
responsible job as a nurse, full time. Steve, to escape from his inner
demons, drowned his pain in alcohol.

Hating himself, he felt he deserved it when his wife, the responsible
one, lashed out at him, not only verbally, but physically as well. How
many of us, at one time or another, have not felt as if we were guilty,
were unworthy of the love we have received. Steve did not protest when
Sheila struck back at him, and in effect became the ADULT in the
relationship. Perhaps he felt like, after all the chances she had given
him, he no doubt deserved to be horsewhippd. Yet time and again Sheila
forgave him. Time and again she put up with his relapses back into his
substance abuse. He was failing his family --- and he knew it.

She was, in her possibly high-handed way, trying to save him from
himself. If only her "corporal punishment" could get through to him.
Yet, as Dr. Phil suggested, it would take something (even more drastic)
than just the physical correction -- if that is even an accurate word
for her efforts.

I certainly don't think Gore Vidal had something like the above
scenario in mind. Vidal was making a joke, surely. At least in a large
part.

The case of Steve and Sheila is really a different issue. Something
more like the problem many people have, learning how to ask for help.
Learning how to open up and, somehow, ask for it.