Ahead of his time, or Porn 101?

Having an open mind is a good practice. Keeping the portal accessible to different ideas and varying opinions helps one see the broader picture, the horizon beyond the obvious.

At least, so I’ve been told.

And for the most part, I agree, but sometimes the clutter that enters this journalist’s brain begs for a “closed for renovations” sign, or at the bare minimum an “under construction” banner because of the spillway of information that floods in and attempts to throw a monkey wrench into the normal thought patterns.

Such as the article I happened upon from CNN recently.

The headline read: “University professor apologizes for sex-toy demonstration.”

OK, I’ll have to admit, that one gummed up the wheels and stopped the process altogether. It seems that a Northwestern University psychology professor allowed a couple to demonstrate a sex toy in front of students.

According to the article, he apologized Saturday, expressing regret that his optional after-class production caused such a stir.

At this point, all thought mechanisms began to react adversely as though watching John Holmes portray the Duke or something.

The story went on to say that the professor hoped to teach students about sexual diversity and information from “real people.”

I never thought of porn as being very diverse. The demonstration ostensibly followed a discussion about sexual preferences.

It turns out, after reading another article in the Chicago Tribune about this new form of higher education, that the “real people” actually were real, an engaged couple who apparently agreed to this supreme invasion of privacy, all in the name of education, of course.

Totally closed! No more open mind, no more enlightened thinking.

In fact, my life may never be the same.

How, in the name of all that’s academically normal, could a person think watching hardcore porn would teach students about sexual diversity?

About the only positive thing that could even attempt to come out of all this might be the old Oscar Wilde saying: “The only thing worse than being talked about is not being talked about.”

Well, most certainly this professor put himself and Northwestern University on the map.

Granted, the professor is a researcher of human sexuality and sexual orientation, but what happened to good old-fashioned classroom discussions and arguments? There are times when “show and tell” just doesn’t work in a situation.

In the professor’s defense, he did say that the demonstration was impromptu, and he made a spur-of-the-moment decision to allow it. And while he feels no harm was done by the demonstration, he does regret the negative effect it has had on Northwestern, and he’ll never allow anything like that to happen again.

OK, apology taken into consideration, but did you really think the university and the general public would chalk this one up to an unorthodox teaching manner?

Hey, professor, you have to pick your battles and let your better judgment rule sometimes. Thinking first always reflects your choices!