"sex and nudity and such are all tied up not just with our forebrain, but with our irrational hindbrains, and we don't get to choose what «programs» those are r

"sex and nudity and such are all tied up not just with our forebrain, but with our irrational hindbrains, and we don't get to choose what «programs» those are running" We can, however, train ourselves to pass more control on our forebrain and, like you mentioned ("painters set out to push certain buttons with those paintings"), those paintings were a very important tool to measure the success of that. When there is this dignitary empowered to act on collective behalf, it's only comforting to find out that he holds enough self-control to act cool and rational, that he is competent enough to deal with whatever social play, including the basic instinct attempts, without compromising whatever public business he's out to solve. Given the context, this pampering only unsettles me!