Human Existence

This is the name of a perfume.

I quote from Thierry Mugler's website:
"How can something so ugly become so beautiful?
Why do we all need some dirtiness to find addiction and love?
The everyday struggle in perfumery.

To emulate the absurd blend, the duo of perfumers has selected a natural malt absolute containing notes reminiscent of cheese. They added a laboratory-created reconstruction of civet, and some cumin for acridness."

Why do we all need some dirtiness to find addiction and love?

Let's take a look at this sentence: . . . "we all need". . .
Who is this "we" that Thierry Mugler is speaking to? I suppose one could make the argument that anyone who shells out 700 bucks for a box of weird fragrances might fit the description of someone in the throes of an addiction. But mostly, I think it's just rich people who will buy this. Though I can imagine stealing to obtain the money to buy the Comfret. . .but I won't. I promise. I don't do that.

Yet.

I really want that box.

Okay. . .let's look at the sentence again: "Why do we all need some dirtiness. . ."
So, um, you're assuming we all need dirtiness. What is dirtiness? I read somewhere that this "Human Existence" is redolent of a woman who is unkempt. The cheese is the scent of the inside of a young girl's navel. And as a former body piercer, I will attest to the fact that even the loveliest, sweet smelling, well dressed young woman's navel does not smell "nice". It is an acquired taste, one that I never acquired.

And this unkempt woman, what does she really smell of? I will say the unspoken words: pussy and cum. Isn't that what we're talking about here? The real smell of sex. The two scents that come together to make life, thus, human existence.

Is human existence inherently ugly and sex inherently dirty? Are we scent obsessed because of some basic existential disgust for our bodies. . .these dying things that they are, with all their awful needs and excrements. I can feel my mouth curling and my nostrils flaring while I'm writing this.

I have, at times, felt this way. The horror of the body. The days when I don't want to take off my clothes and bathe, for I don't want to see this body, naked, raw, and imperfect.

So, why would I want to buy this in a bottle? Curiosity. Lots of it. I'd like to know what they think this horrible life smells like.

Odd footnote: I wanted to find a Rubens painting for this post. Obviously, I did; "Rape of the Sabine Women". And where did I find the image, just by chance? On a discussion about this:

March 07, 2007 05:31am
Article from: Agence France-Presse
"(Rome) A CONTROVERSIAL ad by fashion designers Dolce and Gabbana suggesting gang rape has been banned from Italian publications. . ."

Come to your own conclusions. . .